California official says federal agents threatened him
The gist
Butte County clerk-recorder Keaton Denlay said a federal agent hand-delivered a list of 47 "likely" noncitizens he found error-riddled and declined to act on.
The standoff pits county election officials against DOJ threats of prosecution days before the election.
How it unfolded
- Oct 19, 2026Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter announces in Los Angeles the identification of 28 people he says are non-citizens illegally registered to vote.
- Oct 23, 2026The Justice Department sends letters to county elections offices statewide demanding they segregate ballots from voters it believes are not U.S. citizens, giving counties 48 hours to commit.
- Oct 24, 2026DOJ demands more counties segregate ballots and threatens prosecution; two days after earlier letters to L.A. County and the state, it sues them.