The U.S. Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation targeting voter registration in California, issuing federal grand jury subpoenas to local election officials, according to individuals familiar with the matter and subpoena documents obtained by news outlets. This action represents an escalation in the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to investigate claims that noncitizens are improperly registered to vote in the state.

California, the nation’s most populous state, has been under increased scrutiny as the administration seeks to tighten oversight of electoral processes ahead of the midterm elections. The inquiry follows allegations that thousands of noncitizens might be included on the voter rolls, a claim that California election officials and independent analyses have largely disputed, noting that instances of voter fraud are exceedingly rare.

The subpoenas come shortly after a federal judge rejected a request by the administration to halt the counting of ballots from approximately 20,000 voters whom it identified as probable noncitizens. The court ruling emphasized the lack of evidence supporting widespread illegal voting and allowed California to continue the vote tabulation process without interruption.

The Justice Department’s broader investigation aims to substantiate assertions that noncitizens have registered and potentially voted in California elections. This aligns with broader White House efforts during President Donald Trump’s tenure to scrutinize voter rolls and restrict voting access based on the presence of noncitizen voters, despite limited proof of significant fraud.

Local election officials who received the subpoenas have declined to comment publicly on the inquiry, but the situation has heightened tensions between federal authorities and California’s state and local governments. Critics argue that the investigation is politically motivated and could undermine public confidence in election integrity without concrete evidence.

The outcome of the grand jury investigation is currently unknown. However, it marks a notable intensification of federal involvement in election oversight in California, a state traditionally viewed as a Democratic stronghold. The development underscores the contentious national debate over voter registration practices and election security in the lead-up to the upcoming elections.