The Justice Department on Thursday joined a Republican-led lawsuit that seeks to block a new Democratic-drawn congressional map in California that voters approved last week .

The redrawn district lines could allow Democrats to pick up an additional five House seats in next year’s midterm elections. The Trump administration’s involvement in the case adds another political layer to the ongoing redistricting battle that’s playing out across the country.

In a complaint filed in federal court Thursday, the Justice Department effectively joined a suit filed last week by the California Republican Party that challenges California’s new map.

In their complaints, the DOJ and the California GOP allege that the new maps approved by voters amount to a “racial gerrymander” that they say violate

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