The Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court on Monday to temporarily block California from counting mail-in ballots from more than 20,000 registered voters. The federal government claims these individuals are likely non-US citizens and argues that the ballots should be segregated and not counted until the voters' status can be verified.
This emergency appeal comes after an appeals court rejected the request to set aside the disputed ballots. On the eve of the November 3 midterm elections, the administration is hoping the Supreme Court will reverse the lower courts' decisions.
The Justice Department's willingness to intervene directly in the midterm elections has raised fears that law enforcement powers are being used in a partisan manner. This request comes as the department also appeals the dismissal of a lawsuit over Alaska's Senate election.