Judge Halts Trump’s Voter Citizenship Rule in Election Overhaul/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A judge blocks Trump’s proof-of-citizenship voter rule. The decision stops key elements of his election overhaul. Other parts of Trump’s order, like mail ballot changes, remain.
Judge Blocks Key Parts of Trump’s Election Overhaul — Quick Looks
- Court Ruling: A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump’s order requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration.
- Executive Order: Trump’s March directive sought sweeping changes to U.S. election rules, citing global comparisons.
- Blocked Elements: Citizenship checks for voter registration and public assistance enrollees are paused.
- Mail Ballot Deadline: The judge allowed tighter mail voting deadlines to proceed, rejecting part of the plaintiffs’ request.
- Legal Battle Ongoing: The injunction is temporary as the case moves forward in federal court.
- Judge’s Position: Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sided with voting rights advocates but didn’t block Trump’s order in full.
Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump’s Voter Citizenship Rule in Federal Elections
Deep Looks
April 24, 2025 | A federal judge on Thursday halted key provisions of President Donald Trump’s executive order overhauling U.S. election processes — most notably, a new rule requiring proof of citizenship for federal voter registration.
The decision by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly grants a preliminary injunction against parts of the March directive, siding with voting rights groups and Democratic-led states who argued that Trump’s changes could disenfranchise eligible voters and overstep constitutional boundaries.
What the Ruling Blocks
The injunction temporarily halts the Trump administration’s attempt to revise the federal voter registration form to require documentation of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate. The judge also blocked a separate directive within the order that would require people receiving public assistance to prove their citizenship before gaining access to voter registration services.
Both measures were flagged by civil rights advocates as potentially harmful to low-income voters, seniors, and naturalized citizens who may not have immediate access to official documents.
What the Ruling Allows
While the judge sided with plaintiffs on key issues, she did not block the Trump administration’s plan to tighten mail ballot deadlines, denying a portion of the legal challenge brought by the Democratic Party and affiliated groups.
The ruling does not eliminate the executive order entirely, but puts parts of it on hold while the case proceeds.
Background: Trump’s Sweeping Election Order
Trump’s March executive order — one of the most controversial of his second term — claimed that the U.S. election system “fails to enforce basic and necessary protections” and called for a range of new federal mandates. Alongside the citizenship checks, the order aimed to shorten mail-in voting windows, revise federal voter registration guidelines, and condition federal funding on compliance with the new rules.
Critics argue that the order violates the Elections Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which grants Congress, not the president, the power to regulate federal elections. Trump and his supporters maintain the changes are necessary to ensure election integrity.
Legal Challenges Mounting
This case is just one of several lawsuits filed in response to Trump’s executive order. Others have been filed in Maryland, California, and New York, with plaintiffs including the ACLU, NAACP, and various state attorneys general.
Voting rights groups have warned that the citizenship requirement, if allowed to proceed, could block millions of eligible voters from registering — especially those without ready access to key documents.
The next hearing in the case is expected in late May.
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