Court halts certain election reforms under Trump, such as the citizenship verification mandate
In a courtroom showdown, a judge has temporarily thwarted the Trump administration's attempt to introduce stricter regulations in federal elections. Among the changes scrapped is the addition of a proof-of-citizenship requirement for the federal voter registration form.
President Trump had advocated for these alterations, claiming the U.S. fails to implement robust election safeguards found in other nations. However, US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sided with voting rights groups and Democrats to issue a preliminary injunction, halting the citizenship requirement until the lawsuit reaches its conclusion.
The judge also blocked part of the Republican president's executive order, which required public assistance enrollees to have their citizenship verified before they could access the voter registration form. Yet, other requests from Democratic plaintiffs were denied, for instance, Trump's order tightening mail ballot deadlines and his directive to review state voter lists alongside immigration databases.
The judge's decision effectively thwarts the Trump administration's attempts to implement the proof-of-citizenship mandate. Voting by non-citizens in federal elections is already illegal and can result in felony charges and deportation.
A coalition of non-partisan organizations and national Democrats had filed a lawsuit, arguing that the president's order is unconstitutional. They claimed it violates the Elections Clause, which grants states, not the president, the authority to determine how elections are run. The plaintiffs also asserted that the order exceeds Trump's power over an independent agency - the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, responsible for setting voluntary voting system guidelines and maintaining the federal voter registration form.
During the hearing, attorneys for the plaintiffs argued that requiring proof of citizenship on the federal voter registration form would complicate voter registration drives in public places like grocery stores. Additionally, the executive order's intention to tighten mail ballot deadlines was seen as detrimental, as it would force plaintiffs to redirect resources to assist voters navigating the changes.
While the judge didn't block other parts of the executive order, the Justice Department is planning to appeal the ruling against the proof-of-citizenship requirements. Meanwhile, other legal challenges against the order remain active. For instance, a group of Democratic attorneys general has sought to reject the executive order, while states like Washington and Oregon have sued against it.
The U.S. differs from many other nations, as it does not conduct national elections run by the federal government. Instead, elections are managed at the state and local levels. The ongoing legal battles surrounding the executive order have sparked discussions among state and local election officials across the country.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/07/us/politics/election-lawsuit-trump.html[2] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-rules-idUSKBN22P2CE[3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/05/07/judge-blocks-trump-order-seeking-proof-citizenship-voters/[4] https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/trump-administration-sued-over-election-rule-changes-1225289144851[5] https://www.npr.org/2020/04/17/835645114/trump-administration-sues-over-mail-ballots-and-other-election-changes-without-con
- The Trump administration's attempt to introduce stricter regulations, including a proof-of-citizenship requirement for federal voter registration, has been temporarily halted by a judge.
- The National Immigration Law Center, along with voting rights groups and Democrats, argued that the president's order is unconstitutional and violates the Elections Clause.
- The judge's decision to block the citizenship requirement assessment was seen as a boost for policy-and-legislation related to general news and politics.
- Part of the executive order that required public assistance enrollees to have their citizenship verified before accessing the voter registration form was also blocked.
- The Justice Department plans to appeal the ruling against the proof-of-citizenship requirements, while other legal challenges against the order remain active.
- The ongoing legal battles and potential changes in immigration law could impact AI-based voter registration systems, potentially complicating the general news landscape in upcoming elections.
