India, Oct. 26 -- Los Angeles' top federal prosecutor has warned that California's midterm elections could be compromised, as the US Justice Department seeks to prevent the counting of about 20,000 ballots linked to voters it suspects are noncitizens.

Bill Essayli, the US attorney for the Central District of California, raised concerns as the state began processing mail-in ballots ahead of the November 3 elections. California officials have opposed the federal government's intervention, arguing that it lacks the authority to dictate how the state conducts its elections.

The dispute reached a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Sunday, October 25. The panel did not issue an immediate ruling but said it w...