Overview
- Federal agents and DOJ personnel conducted dozens of on‑the‑ground interviews in Skid Row on Thursday as part of an active criminal investigation into allegations that homeless people were paid to register or vote in the June 2 mayoral primary.
- Reports say roughly 20 plainclothes officers carried out interviews and Homeland Security staff were present, and the Justice Department has confirmed it is investigating a criminal matter while the FBI declined further comment.
- The probe follows a federal charge last month accusing a California woman of paying Skid Row residents to register to vote, a case the DOJ has publicly announced.
- The inquiry was prompted by viral video interviews in which residents claimed they were paid small amounts to register or vote, but several clips have been deleted and news outlets say they could not independently verify the footage.
- Media reviews have found thousands of voter registrations linked to shelters, including more than 1,100 tied to the Midnight Mission, and federal officials have said they will audit voter rolls, a step that could prompt policy and enforcement changes and shape partisan debate.