Federal judge blocks DHS operations targeting non-citizen voters in California

A United States federal judge has ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to stop operations aimed at identifying non-citizen voters in nine states, including California, according to the Dominican Republic Post.

The ruling by US District Court Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin cited likely violations of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits voter intimidation. The judge noted that the DHS may have used flawed data in its investigations.

The judge expressed concern that these operations create an "objectively reasonable fear" of law enforcement involvement, which could intimidate citizens from helping others exercise their right to vote.

The DHS had publicized efforts to identify individuals suspected of voter fraud, with some local offices posting photos of agents visiting suspects' homes. These efforts were part of the Trump administration's focus on highlighting voter fraud ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

While instances of voter fraud occur in every election cycle, they remain exceedingly rare, and there is no evidence that non-citizen voters have influenced election outcomes, the report said.