DOJ deploys 1,000 federal monitors to Los Angeles as court reverses course on ballot dispute

The Department of Justice deployed 1,000 federal election monitors and observers to Los Angeles on Tuesday morning. The agency described the surge as the largest monitoring effort in its history. Monitors were also sent to New York, Chicago, Detroit, San Diego, Sacramento, and Alameda County.

The arrival of federal personnel followed a series of rulings by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court cleared the Trump administration to threaten California election workers with criminal charges. This permission came after the Supreme Court struck down demands to segregate 20,000 contested ballots in the state.

The appellate court issued its final decision on election day. A panel of 11 judges ruled in a 6-5 split that federal officials can demand states set aside ballots from suspected noncitizens. Five Trump appointees formed the majority. Judge Eric D. Miller, who wrote the opinion, stated that district courts generally cannot block the Department of Justice from expressing views about criminal statutes.

Judge Roopali Desai, a Biden appointee, dissented. She wrote that the court issued three conflicting orders in twelve hours. She argued that the last-minute stay created a serious risk of disenfranchisement. She described the situation as an impossible dilemma for public servants who must choose between state law and federal demands.

The Justice Department instructed its remaining monitors to dress in business casual. They were forbidden from wearing insignia, carrying firearms, or attempting to arrest voters. The department removed several sworn law enforcement officers from the volunteer pool after a review with other federal agencies.

Donya Khadem of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund called the use of sworn officers unlawful and a tactic to intimidate voters. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the move an attempt to keep voters home. She said the Department of Justice was laying groundwork to dispute results if they did not match the administration's preferences.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta vowed to have state observers on site to watch the federal monitors. He posted on social media that the state would ensure the integrity of its elections. The conflict follows months of legal battles over ballots the federal government claims may have been issued to noncitizens.