Judge blocks DOJ ballot-segregation demands to California
Where it stands
Preliminary injunction granted in part; federal defendants barred from demanding ballot segregation or other departures from existing California election procedures based on the suspected-noncitizen lists; sanctions motion remains pending.
Sources reviewed: Nov 2, 2026 · 5:06 PM EST
Chief Judge James Boasberg granted in part CHIRLA and Pedro Trujillo's motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in Trujillo v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, No. 1:26-cv-03072.
The November 2 order preliminarily bars the federal defendants and their agents from demanding that California election officials segregate ballots, or otherwise depart from existing state election procedures, based on voters' inclusion on federal lists of suspected noncitizens. The 20-page memorandum found CHIRLA likely to establish standing and likely to succeed on its claim that the Executive Branch exceeded its authority under the Elections Clause.
This is preliminary relief, not a final merits judgment.
The response.
The court credited expert matching that identified multiple CHIRLA members who are citizens but appeared on the federal lists and found a sufficiently imminent risk to voting and CHIRLA's work. It also recognized the Executive Branch's significant interests in election integrity and enforcing federal law, but concluded that 18 U.S.C. § 611 criminalizes knowing noncitizen voting and does not authorize the Executive Branch to dictate California's ballot procedures. DOJ had argued that the asserted injuries were speculative, that plaintiffs lacked standing and that federal law supported its demands. DOJ did not immediately comment to Reuters after the ruling. The court narrowed the requested relief, declined to issue plaintiffs' broader wording and required a $1 bond. DOJ's separate motion to strike part of CHIRLA's filing and seek sanctions remains pending; the memorandum expressly did not decide it.
Dates & scope
Source publication: Nov 2, 2026 · 3:13 AM EST
Event or conduct: 2026-11-02.
Full chronology and review notes
CHIRLA filed its expert analysis October 31. DOJ filed its response and separate motion to strike and seek sanctions November 1; plaintiffs responded November 2. Chief Judge James Boasberg filed the preliminary injunction order and 20-page memorandum November 2. Reuters published its ruling report at 3:52 p.m. EST, and the Ledger reviewed the primary order, memorandum and current reporting November 2 at 5:06 p.m. EST. The original article publication, party filings, court ruling, news publication and source-review times are distinct.
This is a dated report. The source-review time records when the linked sources were checked; it is not a live update.
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Open the original record.
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia via CourtListener: Order, Trujillo v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, No. 1:26-cv-03072-JEB, Dkt. 47 ↗
Primary November 2 order granting the emergency motion in part and preliminarily enjoining demands that California segregate ballots or depart from existing procedures based on the suspected-noncitizen lists
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia via CourtListener: Memorandum Opinion, Trujillo v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, No. 1:26-cv-03072-JEB, Dkt. 48 ↗
Primary 20-page November 2 opinion addressing standing, the Elections Clause, irreparable harm, equities, scope of relief and the still-pending collateral sanctions motion
- Reuters: Judge tells Trump administration to stop demands on California about alleged noncitizen voters ↗
November 2 ruling report with the parties' positions, court disposition, related California Supreme Court application and DOJ's lack of immediate comment
- Associated Press: Justice Department urges sanctions for database analysis critical of its noncitizen voting claims ↗
November 2 report describing the government's separate November 1 sanctions request and CHIRLA's response; Boasberg's later memorandum says that collateral motion remains pending
- Associated Press: Over 40% of names on DOJ list of alleged noncitizens are not on California voter rolls, analysis finds ↗
November 1 report on the October 31 party expert analysis, its numerical findings, methodological limitations and responses from DOJ and Bill Essayli
- Democracy Docket: DOJ withheld key data from court-ordered voter list disclosure, experts say ↗
November 1 litigation report describing both sides' newest filings, the member-match dispute and the absence of a judicial finding that DOJ violated the disclosure order
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