DOJ charges 28 in California with voting crimes amid election tensions

The Justice Department has charged 28 green card holders in California with voting crimes, accusing them of illegally registering to vote or voting in U.S. elections, according to reports from news.wfsu.org and northernpublicradio.org. This development represents an escalation in the Trump administration's conflict with California officials over the state's voting system as the midterm elections approach.

In addition to the charges, the DOJ filed an emergency request to stop California from processing ballots returned by individuals on voter rolls the federal government claims are "likely noncitizens." California officials have sought clarification on these federal conclusions but have not received a response, the reports noted.

Last week, the DOJ also sued California and Los Angeles County after local officials declined to investigate allegations made by the administration regarding noncitizen voting. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between federal and state authorities over election integrity measures.

Meanwhile, Democrats and Republicans are focusing on key races with Election Day two weeks away, and President Trump is campaigning in several battleground states this week, including Georgia, North Carolina, Kansas, Iowa, and Florida.

Separately, court records reveal that TikTok employees raised repeated concerns about child safety risks on the app, including sexual exploitation and exposure to suicide content. Staff alerted management to minors accessing sexual content and bypassing age restrictions, but leadership failed to act on these issues, according to depositions filed in March 2026.