Justice Department sues California to block counting of some mail ballots

The Justice Department sued California on Thursday over alleged noncitizens on its voter rolls. It wants a federal judge to stop the state from counting midterm mail ballots from people the government labels "likely" noncitizens, PBS NewsHour reports. The block would last until their status is confirmed. The New York Times calls the requested block temporary.

The suit was filed in the Central District of California, according to The Guardian. The department says it gave the state more than 20,000 names, per The Guardian and CBS News. CBS says the department alleges those people are unlawfully registered to vote.

The lawsuit followed a demand sent Tuesday. The Guardian reports the department gave Los Angeles County election officials a thumb drive with a handwritten password, which it said held names of noncitizens registered to vote. It asked them to confirm citizenship and set aside ballots from anyone whose status could not be confirmed. It set a 48-hour deadline. Fox News reports the department threatened emergency relief if California did not act. The Hill reports officials were told to check their rolls against Department of Homeland Security information.

The Guardian reports the department did not say how it came up with the names. ABC News and The Guardian report that Los Angeles County officials refused to act on the list. ABC says the county clerk would not access the drive.

Al Jazeera notes that earlier claims of noncitizen voting in several states have been debunked. NPR was still reporting the suit on Friday.