Democratic leaders and election groups filed a lawsuit against President Trump and the Justice Department on Tuesday, seeking to block federal officials from pressuring states to purge voters from their rolls.
The 44-page complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, accuses the DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security of unlawfully directing states to remove suspected noncitizens from voter rolls.
The filing also alleges that federal officials threatened election administrators with criminal prosecution if they refused to comply with removal demands.
The lawsuit argues the administration has relied on “shoddily compiled lists” that have “crumbled upon the barest inspection” to identify allegedly ineligible voters.
Plaintiffs warn that the flawed targeting puts eligible Americans at risk of being denied ballots or having their votes go uncounted ahead of November’s midterm elections.
“None of this is lawful,” the complaint reads, offering a pointed summary of the legal challenge at the heart of the filing.
The lawsuit was brought by three Democratic-aligned groups and several Democratic leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both of New York.
The complaint specifically cites an Oct. 13 demand from the DOJ that California withhold or set aside ballots from more than 20,000 registered voters suspected of being noncitizens.
It also references a Department of Homeland Security claim that Nevada had nearly 16,000 noncitizens on its voter rolls, a figure the department later reduced to 185, before state records showed all 185 were citizens.
A preliminary investigation by Los Angeles County investigators found that more than 25% of those flagged on the California list listed a U.S. birthplace, with others having already had their registrations canceled.
The complaint alleges the Trump administration violated the Voting Rights Act by threatening state and local election officials with criminal prosecution for distributing ballots to registered voters in accordance with state law.
The filing further argues that the administration’s actions violate constitutional principles barring the federal government from compelling states to administer or enforce federal law.
The DOJ pushed back firmly, with spokeswoman Kiersten Pels stating, “Every action the Department has taken to protect the integrity of this year’s elections is grounded in the law and being litigated in open court.”
Spokeswoman Lauren Bis added, “Anyone who illegally votes in our elections will be held accountable,” signaling the administration has no intention of backing down from its election oversight push.
The lawsuit represents the latest in a series of legal challenges to the administration’s expanding federal oversight of elections, arriving just 13 days before Election Day.
