Donald Trump asks the Supreme Court to block more than 20,000 ballots from California

The United States Justice Department asked the Supreme Court on Monday to require California to separate ballots considered suspicious from legal ones ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections. The agency says it has a list of more than 20,000 registered voters suspected of not being U.S. citizens.

The federal action comes amid repeated allegations by President Donald Trump of supposed election fraud and foreign nationals’ participation in elections. These claims have been rejected by several courts and challenged by independent analyses.

In October, a federal judge in Los Angeles rejected the administration’s request, warning that separating the ballots could cause chaos and undermine voters’ confidence. Judge David Carter noted that the allegations had not been substantiated.

The list was compiled by the Department of Homeland Security, but California authorities challenged its methodology. Documents analyzed by immigrant rights organizations and a UCLA-affiliated body indicate that thousands of U.S. citizens, including naturalized citizens, were wrongly included.

It is unclear whether the Supreme Court will issue a decision before the election. Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has mobilized election experts, observers, and a hotline for reporting intimidation or attempts at interference.