Judge blocks part of Trump election overhaul

A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from enacting certain changes to how federal elections are run, which included proof of citizenship in order to register to vote.

In an order Thursday, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly granted a preliminary injunction to stop the citizenship requirement from being implemented immediately while the lawsuit carries on.

The proof of citizenship portion of President Trump’s order is similar to the GOP-led Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which requires documentary proof of citizenship when people go to register to vote.

The order has sparked backlash among critics who argue large numbers of voters will be disenfranchised.

The judge also blocked part of Trump’s order that required people enrolled in public assistance programs to have their citizenship assessed before receiving access to the federal voter registration form.

Kollar-Kotelly refused to block part of the order that tightens mail-in ballot deadlines and Trump’s order for the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to compare immigration databases and state voter rolls.

Late last month, Trump signed an executive order that said it was his administration’s policy to enforce federal law and “to protect the integrity of our election process.”

A group of organizations sued the administration to block Trump’s order, calling it unconstitutional. The group of plaintiffs, represented in part by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), argues that the order violates the Constitution's clause that says states have the authority to determine election procedures, not the president.

“This executive order is part of a broader attack on our democratic elections by promoting baseless nativist conspiracy theories,” the ALCU’s director of its Voting Rights Project, Sophia Lin Lakin, said in a statement. “Today, the court blocked a key strategy of this attack. And we will keep fighting to ensure every eligible voter can make their voice heard without interference or intimidation.”

The groups noted that the order would complicate lives for many people who are unable to secure a passport but should still be allowed the right to vote. They called for the order to ultimately be struck down.

Michael Gates, who represents the Trump administration, said during an April 17 hearing that a preliminary injunction from the court was not necessary since the order had yet to be implemented and the proof of citizenship requirement would not be part of the process for many months, The Associated Press reported.