What changed
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to stop threatening state and local election officials with criminal charges over ballot processing. Judge Trina Thompson also blocked demands to set aside ballots allegedly linked to non-citizens, including those involving about 20,000 registered voters in California, days before the 3 November midterm elections.
Why it matters
The ruling keeps election officials bound to established state and federal procedures instead of forcing them to act on federal allegations before ballots are processed. Thompson said the administration’s actions could disrupt election administration and disenfranchise lawful voters.
The dispute began with Justice Department letters to California officials, followed by armed Department of Homeland Security officials delivering threats of criminal charges. Similar demands were sent to Washington state. The administration says the measures target unlawful voting, while the ruling stops those demands from becoming a parallel ballot-screening system run through pressure and subpoenas.
That matters because a ballot can be caught in the machinery even when the voter is legally entitled to cast it. The report cites 24 convictions of non-citizens for voting between 2005 and 2025, while the administration has described voter fraud as widespread.
Trump criticised the ruling and vowed to continue pursuing “Election Integrity” claims. It remains unclear whether the administration will appeal, fully comply or try another legal route.
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