Over 40% of names on DOJ list of alleged noncitizens are not on Calif. voter rolls, analysis finds

A new analysis by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, has identified substantial inaccuracies in a Trump administration list of nearly 21,000 suspected noncitizen voters in California, raising concerns about the possibility that eligible American citizens could be improperly prevented from voting in the November 3 midterm elections.

The Justice Department had demanded that California election officials separate ballots cast by individuals appearing on its list and warned officials of possible criminal prosecution if noncitizens were permitted to vote.

However, researchers associated with UCLA's Voting Rights Project reported significant problems with the government's data.

Key findings include:

8,880 names, representing 42% of the 20,930 individuals flagged, could not be matched to California's current voter rolls.

At least 22 individuals on the list were confirmed U.S. citizens, with potentially additional citizens incorrectly identified.

Researchers estimated that nearly 7,500 naturalized American citizens were highly likely to be incorrectly flagged as ineligible under the administration's methodology.

The federal list reportedly lacked voter identification numbers, making accurate verification and identification of duplicates more difficult.

The findings were submitted in federal court as part of litigation brought by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) and UCLA's Voting Rights Project. The plaintiffs argue that the administration's methods could improperly exclude eligible voters, particularly naturalized citizens.

Federal Courts Challenge the Administration's Actions

Multiple federal judges have rejected the Justice Department's efforts to require California to separate ballots based on the disputed list. On October 30, a federal judge ordered the department to stop sending demands to California election officials. The administration appealed the following day.

Election officials maintain that determining citizenship and voter eligibility requires careful investigation and cannot reliably be accomplished through last-minute database comparisons.

The Administration Defends Its Position

President Donald Trump criticized the court rulings, asserting that his administration had identified approximately 20,000 potentially fraudulent votes and suggesting the actual number could be substantially higher. The UCLA analysis did not substantiate those broader allegations.

Federal prosecutor Bill Essayli dismissed the researchers' analysis as inaccurate and politically motivated.

The Justice Department maintains that preventing noncitizens from voting is necessary to protect legitimate ballots. Department spokesperson Kiersten Pels argued that ballots cast by ineligible individuals undermine the votes of qualified American citizens.

Similar disputes have emerged in Washington state, where federal officials identified approximately 400 suspected noncitizens on voter rolls. State election officials have challenged the reliability of that information.

The legal disputes remain unresolved as Election Day approaches.

Reporting Credit: Nicholas Riccardi, The Associated Press, October 31, 2026