WASHINGTON — In a loss for President Donald Trump, the Supreme Court on Monday swiftly rejected the administration’s request that California separate out up to 20,000 mail-in ballots that officials allege could be submitted by noncitizens.The court in a brief order turned away without explanation an emergency request filed just hours earlier by the Trump administration as part of an unusual last-minute flurry of election litigation.Lower courts had also ruled against the Trump administration.The court acted so quickly it did not even ask California for its views first, as it normally does in such cases.California officials had resisted the Justice Department’s intervention, noting that it is already illegal under state law for noncitizens to vote and expressing skepticism about whether the federal government’s information is accurate.Separately, the administration has warned California election officials they could face prosecution if they allow noncitizens to vote.
A federal judge on Saturday told the Justice Department to desist from making such threats.Although elections are administered exclusively by local officials, the Trump administration says it has grounds to intervene because there is a federal law that prohibits voting by noncitizens.Trump has long claimed, without evidence, that millions of noncitizens illegally vote in U.S.elections.
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