President Donald Trump's administration has suffered a significant setback in its efforts to implement a proof of citizenship requirement for voters, with a federal judge issuing a permanent ban on the policy.
Boston-based US District Judge Denise Casper delivered the ruling on Wednesday, stating that the Constitution does not grant the President any specific powers over elections.
The judge's decision comes after President Trump signed Executive Order 14248 in March 2025, which aimed to preserve and protect the integrity of American elections.
The executive order cited the importance of free, fair, and honest elections, and the need to safeguard against fraud, errors, and suspicion.
However, Judge Casper found that the President's requirements for documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote violate the separation of powers and are not authorized by the Constitution.
The Department of Justice has announced that it will immediately appeal the judge's decision.
President Trump has repeatedly called for the passage of the SAVE America Act, which would require a valid ID and proof of citizenship before registering to vote in a federal election.
The bill is currently stalled in the Senate, and the president's efforts to advance it seem to have been dealt a significant blow by the judge's ruling.
President Trump met with Senate members on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to discuss the SAVE America Act, but the meeting did not appear to yield any breakthroughs.
The implications of the judge's decision are significant, and it remains to be seen how the Trump administration will proceed in the wake of this setback.
