Sen. Alex Padilla Schooled After Complaining Trump Admin Is Bullying CA Election Officials

Sen. Alex Padilla (who prefers to be called José) is butthurt about the Justice Department warning California election officials that they could open themselves to investigation if it identifies them processing votes from noncitizens. If Democrats are serious about allowing only those eligible to cast a ballot to vote, this shouldn't be a concern. But they, and liberal judges, have done everything they can to keep their voter rolls from being cross-referenced against federal databases to identify ineligible voters.

NEWS — The Justice Department warned California election officials that processing ballots from voters it identifies as likely noncitizens could expose them to criminal investigation, per the AP. The warning follows DOJ’s lawsuit seeking to block counting about 20,000 ballots.

— VoteHub (@VoteHub) October 16, 2026

@VoteHub This is false. They want to verify NOT block. More slop...

— Smalltown Los Angeles (@HenryCarnitas) October 17, 2026

Padilla claims that California won't be bullied into making sure only eligible citizens vote.

First, they offer no evidence to try to block 20,000 ballots from being counted. Now, the Trump Administration is threatening California election officials with criminal investigations without any legal basis. The Constitution gives states the authority to administer elections — not Donald Trump. California won’t be bullied, and every eligible voter has the right to vote and have their vote counted.

— Senator Alex Padilla (@SenAlexPadilla) October 17, 2026

The post continues:

… — not Donald Trump. California won’t be bullied, and every eligible voter has the right to vote and have their vote counted.

@SenAlexPadilla Naturally, you're lying.

— JWF (@JammieWF) October 17, 2026

Sen. Mike Lee took Padilla to school:

Senator Padilla claims the DOJ offered “no evidence” and no details. That’s false. Completely false. Federal agencies (USCIS + HSI) conducted a multi-stage data match of California’s voter rolls against immigration records, naturalization data, State Department records, and SSA data. The federal agencies involved used confidence-level matching, secondary review, and further investigation before identifying roughly 20,000 likely noncitizens who were mailed (or set to receive) ballots. The DOJ then provided California officials a specific list of those names on a password-protected drive and asked them to segregate the ballots pending verification—not cancel them. California refused to even *review* the list. “No evidence” is just the talking point they use when they don’t like the evidence. But that talking point is demonstrably false. Noncitizen voting in federal elections is a federal crime. Demanding basic verification isn’t baseless—it’s the law.

— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) October 17, 2026

The post continues:

… SSA data. The federal agencies involved used confidence-level matching, secondary review, and further investigation before identifying roughly 20,000 likely noncitizens who were mailed (or set to receive) ballots. The DOJ then provided California officials a specific list of those names on a password-protected drive and asked them to segregate the ballots pending verification—not cancel them. California refused to even *review* the list. “No evidence” is just the talking point they use when they don’t like the evidence. But that talking point is demonstrably false. Noncitizen voting in federal elections is a federal crime. Demanding basic verification isn’t baseless—it’s the law.

Also giving Padilla a spanking was First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli:

What are you talking about? We gave California the names, addresses, and DOBs of the noncitizens we've identified. We have their alien files at @USCIS, which contain their immigration status. If California has evidence showing they are in fact citizens, we would love to see it. This shouldn’t be political. We’re enforcing federal laws passed by Congress.

— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) October 17, 2026

The post continues:

… This shouldn’t be political. We’re enforcing federal laws passed by Congress.

@USAttyEssayli @USCIS Why is @SenAlexPadilla defending known illegal aliens’ voting in California? I’ll tell you why. Because he can’t win an election without them. Charge CA election officials with voter fraud.

— Ribo413 (@ribo413a) October 17, 2026

@USAttyEssayli @USCIS Just arrest them already. They won’t open the thumb drive bc they think that precludes you from proving they had intent. Find a RED district in California to indict them in. There are several and I’m sure there are illegals voting there, too, so it can claim jurisdiction.

— Voice of Sanity (@HouseofElon) October 17, 2026

@USAttyEssayli @USCIS I'm so embarrassed to be a Californian these days. Democrats gaslight their constituents on a daily basis and it is disgusting.

— Rose of Sharon Mayer (@RozeRage) October 17, 2026

@USAttyEssayli @USCIS The CA Democrats have been importing illegal aliens and bribing them with taxpayer funded freebies for decades. The game is up. Prosecute these criminals and secure our elections.

— HVYMTL (@thehvymetal) October 17, 2026

@USAttyEssayli @Billo366x @USCIS California doesn’t have the authority to make an illegal immigrant a US citizencitizen. If the Feds say they are not citizens, they are not citizens. If these cheating politicians don’t get arrested for obstructing a federal investigation, our country is finished.

— Nostopin 💾🇺🇸 (@Nostopin1) October 17, 2026

@USAttyEssayli @USCIS Start arresting complicit people like Padilla, Gavin Newsom, Becerra and others until this shit stops.

— Grant Ellison (@007Yosemite) October 17, 2026

@USAttyEssayli @myusername2017 @USCIS Senator Padilla lies as easily as he breathes. Hopefully these illegal ballots are stopped before they are counted.

— Kate Johnson (@kaideejay) October 17, 2026

@USAttyEssayli @USCIS 💯 USCIS should be the authoritative source that would have the latest data on whether they were naturalized or not. The defenders of illegal immigration are panicking, trying to introduce more confusion & misinformation.

— TheUnsaid (@TheUnsaid11) October 17, 2026

@USAttyEssayli @USCIS AGAIN @SenAlexPadilla knows nothing of what he is talking about. Worse, he is assuming or counting on his voters are as ignorant as he is. WISE UP CALIFORNIA or your downward trajectory will continue at breakneck speed.

— LTforReal (@LT66236) October 17, 2026

@USAttyEssayli @USCIS Boom! This isn’t about politics. Our country is at stake. California and the Democrats want the illegal vote gravy train to continue and will do almost anything to keep it flowing.

— 𝕏ty (@butterflyCKM14) October 17, 2026

@USAttyEssayli @USCIS Keep calling it out. Don’t give an inch to this lawlessness we’ve had to suffer under

— Beth Booth (@BethBoothmom5) October 17, 2026

"Every eligible voter has the right to vote and have their vote counted." Agreed. So let's do everything in our power to ensure they're eligible. Why wouldn't we? What has Padilla so upset?

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Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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