Justice Department orders California counties to set aside ballots from suspected noncitizens

The Justice Department has ordered California counties to set aside ballots cast by suspected noncitizens, escalating a legal battle as midterm voting proceeds.

• The Justice Department sent letters Friday ordering county officials to identify suspected noncitizens and set aside their mail-in ballots, warning of criminal liability.
• At least 18 California counties received the letters, which carry a 48-hour deadline for citizenship-verification information.
• Prosecutors sued California this month seeking to block counting of more than 20,000 mail-in ballots from suspected noncitizens.
• Los Angeles County Clerk Dean Logan said any voter removal "must be based on verifiable information, not assertions of unconfirmed data matching."