Supreme Court Blocks DOJ Bid to Set Aside 20,000 California Ballots

The US Supreme Court ruled against the Trump administration's attempt to force California election officials to segregate and not count ballots that the Justice Department claims belong to non-citizens, according to the facts at hand.

The Justice Department's request concerned 20,000 ballots in California. The administration asked the Supreme Court earlier on Monday to order officials to set aside mail ballots from 20,000 people it alleges are noncitizens, according to CBS News. The department filed an emergency petition hours before the ruling, according to the Washington Examiner.

Lower courts had sided with California officials, who argued the federal government was seeking to interfere in state elections, according to The Guardian. The Supreme Court ruled on Monday, one day before the midterm elections, according to the Washington Examiner; The Hill reports the one-sentence order contained no explanation and had no noted dissents.

The administration alleges that about 20,000 noncitizens may be registered to vote in California, an assertion disputed by local officials, according to NBC News. California and immigration rights groups question the veracity of the administration's list, according to The Hill, and the Washington Examiner described the ruling as a major setback to the Justice Department.