The Virginia governor’s office is challenging what it calls an “unprecedented” lawsuit from the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s efforts to remove noncitizens from voter rolls.

The DOJ alleges that Youngkin violated the National Voter Registration Act with an executive order requiring the removal of individuals identified as noncitizens who did not verify their citizenship within 14 days.

Virginia has reportedly removed over 6,000 individuals between January 2022 and July 2024.

The DOJ seeks injunctive relief to protect eligible voters and enforce the “Quiet Period Provision,” which prohibits voter roll maintenance within 90 days of an election.

The governor’s office argues that its actions comply with Virginia law and that the process has been followed under both Republican and Democratic administrations, Fox News has reported.

Youngkin criticized the lawsuit as an attempt to undermine election legitimacy in Virginia.

Written by B.C. Begley