# Los Angeles Officials Reject Unsolicited DOJ USB Drive Over Security Concerns County officials refuse to access federal data citing strict privacy protocols and security risks. - **Source:** [Gizmodo](https://brifing.si/source/63382431-cef0-4c41-883e-2f88dc21351e) - **Published:** 2026-10-15 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/24af69f0-e403-4c9d-8506-ced1ced7f498 ## Unsolicited Federal Data Delivery The Department of Justice sent an unsolicited USB drive to Los Angeles County officials, claiming it contains names of likely noncitizens who received mail ballots. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and the local registrar were instructed to verify citizenship status for every individual listed and withhold ballots from those who cannot be confirmed. ## Security Protocols Block Access Dean Logan, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder, confirmed that officials have not accessed the device. The office maintains that the drive does not meet established information security standards. Logan stated that plugging in an unverified external device would directly conflict with mandatory data privacy protocols required for protecting sensitive election infrastructure systems. ## Legal Threats and Deadlines The DOJ has threatened to initiate a lawsuit if the county does not implement the requested verification process within 48 hours. Federal authorities argue that emergency relief is necessary given the ongoing election cycle. However, local officials emphasize that voter eligibility removal must rely on verifiable information rather than unconfirmed data matching assertions. ## Constitutional and Legal Context The U.S. Constitution empowers Congress to regulate elections while states manage the actual administration. Legal experts note that the Trump administration has lost 26 out of 30 lawsuits regarding voter data against states. A federal district court judge recently ruled that the DOJ could not run voter rolls through inaccurate DHS databases. ## Data Reliability Concerns Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin claims 250,000 noncitizens are illegally registered across four states. Election expert David Becker noted that this figure relies on commercial data lacking personally identifiable information. Such methodologies are widely criticized by experts for creating high volumes of false matches, undermining the credibility of the provided voter lists. ## Systematic Removal Restrictions Federal law prohibits election officials from conducting systematic removals of ineligible voters within 90 days of federal elections. Despite this, the White House and Republican allies are seeking creative legal loopholes to bypass these protections. Voting rights groups and the RNC are currently engaged in a Supreme Court battle regarding these specific purge procedures. ## Political Agenda and Timing Critics question the timing of the DOJ intervention, which occurred over a week after ballots were already mailed. Observers suggest the administration’s election agenda aims to influence campaign outcomes rather than ensure integrity. The push for the SAVE America Act reflects a broader strategy to secure GOP victories by mandating strict citizenship proof. ## Implications for Election Integrity The standoff highlights the tension between federal oversight and state-level election administration. By refusing to compromise security protocols for unverified data, Los Angeles officials are prioritizing established legal standards over political pressure. The outcome of this dispute could set a significant precedent for how future voter roll challenges are handled by federal agencies. ## Sources covering this story - https://gizmodo.com/los-angeles-officials-havent-plugged-in-usb-drive-that-doj-insists-is-full-of-noncitizens-who-were-sent-ballots-2000826118 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._