Federal judge rejects Trump Administration's request to block 20,000 votes in California

A federal judge dismissed Trump's administration's request to block over 20,000 mail-in votes in California, citing potential harm to ongoing elections. Judge David O. Carter ruled that the request violated state autonomy and could disenfranchise voters based on uncertain claims. The Justice Department had identified these voters as potential non-citizens and sought to verify their citizenship before counting their ballots. California challenged the reliability of this list. The case follows a federal appeals court's earlier rejection of Trump's request, emphasizing the need for a lower court's ruling first. The dispute arises amid early voting, with concerns about the impact on voter participation and election integrity.