Justice Department sues California over mail-in ballots for likely noncitizens

With early voting underway for the midterm elections, federal actions involving the U.S. voting system have increased, including legal battles affecting California, CBS News Bay Area reported.

The U.S. Justice Department has sued California, alleging the state mailed ballots to over 20,000 people it claims are likely noncitizens, raising concerns about election integrity and voter eligibility.

California Secretary of State Shirley Weber criticized the federal government for threatening the voting rights of thousands of Californians without providing details on how those individuals were identified, questioning the data's accuracy.

The Justice Department's efforts to access protected voter data and purge voter rolls have been described by Weber as causing chaos and undermining public trust in elections.

Election officials emphasize that elections are run locally by towns, counties, and states, as established in the U.S. Constitution, and note that the president does not have a direct role in managing elections.

This federal scrutiny comes amid broader national debates over voting laws and election security, with some officials expressing concern about threats originating within the government itself.