The Trump administration is escalating its attack on California’s elections. Today, with two weeks before the November 3rd election, federal agents charged 28 Californians in a sweep they call “Operation Protect the Vote” and arrested 11 of them. Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice sued to block California from counting mail ballots from more than 20,000 registered voters it labels “likely” noncitizens. California was given just 48 hours to review the list and state officials question the reliability of the information and methodology behind it.¹
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) condemns these actions. Allegations against a few dozen people cannot justify setting aside the ballots of thousands based on an unverified designation of “likely.”
The government’s own plummeting assessment numbers show why caution is essential. Its estimate of noncitizens on California’s rolls fell from 190,000 in July to just 20,000 today. California’s Secretary of State says no evidence has been provided to support the list.
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters have a significant stake in this issue. In California, 66% of Asian American citizens of voting age were registered to vote in 2024, and 58% reported voting.² For a community with deep ties to immigrant and naturalized citizen populations, efforts that could prevent registered voters from having their ballots counted demand reliable evidence, transparency, and meaningful due process.
For AAPI and immigrant communities, the consequences are real. Many eligible voters already face language barriers and misinformation about the voting process. Government action should not create additional fear or uncertainty for citizens exercising their right to vote.
AJSOCAL calls for:
- Full transparency about how these voters were identified
- Meaningful safeguards before any eligible voter’s ballot is set aside
- Prompt notice and a chance to correct errors for any voter whose eligibility is questioned
To our communities, we want to be absolutely clear: If you are an eligible U.S. citizen, including a naturalized citizen, you have the right to vote. Do not let fear or misinformation keep you from exercising that right. AJSOCAL and our volunteers will be with you in over 80 poll centers in LA and Orange counties. Call us if you need help.
AJSOCAL’s Helplines:
- ENGLISH: 888.349.9695
- 普通话/广东话 (Chinese): 800.520.2356
- 한국어 (Korean): 800.867.3640
- ខ្មែរ (Khmer): 800.867.3126
- TAGALOG (Filipino): 855.300.2552
- हिन्दी (Hindi): 855.971.2552
- ภาษาไทย (Thai): 800.914.9583
- TIẾNG VIỆT (Vietnamese): 714.477.2958
Sources
- U.S. Department of Justice, United States Sues California After Determining More Than 20,000 Likely Noncitizens Are Registered to Vote in the Golden State, Oct. 15, 2026; Associated Press, Trump administration sues California over voter rolls, Oct. 2026.
- KFF, Voting and Voter Registration as a Share of the Voter Population, by Race/Ethnicity, November 2024, based on U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey, Voting and Registration Tables, Table 4b. For California Asian citizens of voting age, 66.0% were registered and 58.0% reported voting.
