The Supreme Court issued a one-line order on the eve of the midterm elections, effectively ending the Trump administration's attempt to disqualify 20,000 ballots in California.
The Justice Department had sought an injunction to set aside these votes, arguing that they were likely cast by non-citizens and that their inclusion would dilute the value of legal ballots.
Federal officials had previously taken a firm stance, with the Department of Homeland Security delivering letters to county officials warning of potential criminal charges if the ballots were not sequestered.
California election officials, however, pushed back against the federal inquiry, claiming the government's list of names was inaccurate and that segregating ballots during an active election was unfeasible.
The administration's efforts were met with hostility from lower courts, including a district judge who accused the federal government of attempting to interfere with state election procedures.
This ruling leaves in place the lower court decisions that rejected the administration's bid to address concerns regarding the integrity of California's mail-in voting system.
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