Judge bars DOJ from threatening election officials over ballots of suspected noncitizens

A federal judge late Friday ordered the Justice Department to stop threatening or coercing election workers over ballots it considers suspect. BBC News reports the order followed letters sent to election officials. The letters demanded they set aside ballots of possible noncitizen voters.

The Hill identifies the judge as U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson of California. It says she issued a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit brought Friday by unions representing California election workers. The Hill describes her as a Biden appointee.

CBS News reports the order bars the federal government from demanding that state and local officials separate out ballots. It also bars threats of criminal prosecution for not complying. The Guardian says local officials cannot be forced to separate or stop counting ballots the government deems disputed. It adds that the department cannot coerce workers into halting ballot processing.

The Hill ties the case to the administration's efforts against noncitizen voting. NBC News calls the order sweeping and links it to administration pressure on election officials in the weeks before the midterm elections.