US Justice Dept loses initial bid to block votes from alleged noncitizens in California
This comes as Trump has made California a focal point of his sweeping immigration crackdown since returning to the White House
Assessment
A federal judge denied the Justice Department's request to stop California from counting ballots cast by alleged noncitizens. The ruling is an early test of how aggressively courts will check the Trump administration's immigration enforcement agenda. California's status as a Democratic stronghold and the state's existing voter protections make this a likely preview of more legal battles to come.