**Justice Department Sues Alabama Over Voter Purge Ahead of Federal Election**

The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the State of Alabama and its top election official, accusing them of unlawfully removing voters from election rolls just weeks before a crucial federal election. The lawsuit targets Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen, who last month began inactivating the voter registrations of 3,251 individuals previously identified with noncitizen identification numbers.

Federal law, specifically the National Voter Registration Act, prohibits the removal of voters within 90 days of a federal election. The Justice Department contends that Alabama commenced its voter roll maintenance operation 84 days before the upcoming November election, thus violating this law.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division emphasized the importance of protecting voting rights, stating, "The right to vote is one of the most sacred rights in our democracy." Clarke highlighted the potential for voter confusion due to the state’s actions and stressed the need for Alabama to address these issues promptly.

A review conducted by the Justice Department revealed that some individuals who were incorrectly flagged for removal were native-born and naturalized citizens. This has led to further allegations by a coalition of voting rights groups, who earlier this month accused Wes Allen of illegally targeting and intimidating naturalized citizens through his actions.

The lawsuit filed by the Justice Department seeks injunctive relief to enable the affected eligible voters to participate in the upcoming election without impediments. Additionally, it demands educational mailings to inform eligible voters about the restoration of their voting rights and insists on adequate training for local officials and poll workers to mitigate any confusion and mistrust resulting from these erroneous purges.

In response to the lawsuit, Secretary of State Wes Allen declined to comment directly but defended his actions in a statement, saying, "I was elected Secretary of State by the people of Alabama, and it is my Constitutional duty to ensure that only American citizens vote in our elections."