Federal prosecutors directed at least 18 California counties to set aside suspected noncitizen ballots

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According to the Associated Press, federal prosecutors on Friday directed at least 18 California counties to set aside and verify ballots the Justice Department believes were sent to noncitizens, and to provide identifying information within 48 hours. The letter to San Bernardino County lists 1,133 suspected noncitizen voters. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said an election official who knowingly processes a noncitizen’s ballot faces “legal jeopardy.” Justice Department spokeswoman Kiersten Pels said the department is not seeking a purge of voter registrations, cancellation of registrations or other programmatic action. California’s secretary of state and the Los Angeles County registrar oppose the demands, calling the federal data unreliable. More than 330,000 mail ballots have been counted in California, according to the AP report.