The White House has faced another setback in its efforts to curb noncitizens from registering to vote or voting in federal elections, as a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at protecting election integrity.
The lawsuit centers on President Trump's March executive order, which directed the creation of a federal voter registration list and imposed new restrictions on eligibility for voting by mail. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled that the president does not have the power to set election rules, as only Congress and the states have that authority.
Talwani, an Obama-appointed judge who has served on the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts since 2014, found that Trump's executive order exceeded his authority by trying to change election rules through executive action. The decision blocks the administration from enforcing provisions that would have required documentary proof of citizenship for federal voter registration and changed voting rules for military and overseas voters.
The lawsuit was brought by a coalition of states led by California and joined by 22 other states and the District of Columbia, as well as voting rights organizations. The decision follows a previous ruling that struck down parts of President Trump's election integrity executive order, which aimed to create a uniform standard of photo ID for voting and prohibit no-excuse mail-in voting.
The ruling has significant implications for the midterm elections, as it prevents the administration from enforcing new election rules ahead of the November 3 elections. Trump's efforts to secure his legacy through election integrity measures have been met with resistance from judges and lawmakers alike.
The White House has yet to comment on the latest ruling, but it is likely to appeal the decision. In the meantime, the focus will be on the midterm elections, where voting rights and election integrity will remain at the forefront of the national conversation.
