Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Effort to Require Proof of Citizenship to Vote
A US district judge in Washington DC has dealt a significant blow to President Donald Trump's efforts to overhaul the country's election laws. In a ruling on Friday, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly blocked an executive order requiring proof of citizenship to be added to the federal voter registration form.
The move comes as part of a lawsuit brought by Democratic National Committee and various civil rights groups against the Trump administration. The plaintiffs argued that such a requirement was unconstitutional and would disproportionately affect eligible voters, particularly low-income communities and individuals with limited English proficiency.
In her ruling, Judge Kollar-Kotelly stated that the President lacks the authority to direct changes to election regulation, citing the Constitution's assignment of responsibility for election matters to states and Congress. She also emphasized that the Constitution does not grant the President a direct role in regulating voting qualifications or federal election procedures.
The ruling effectively halts the Trump administration's efforts to implement the proof-of-citizenship requirement, which was intended to restore public confidence in the electoral process. However, it leaves open the possibility of ongoing lawsuits and challenges to other provisions of the executive order, including a requirement that all mailed ballots be received by election day.
In related news, 19 Democratic state attorneys general have also asked a separate federal court to reject Trump's executive order. Other states, such as Washington and Oregon, where mail-in voting is widespread, have filed their own lawsuits against the order. The outcome of these cases remains uncertain, but the ruling in Friday's case provides a significant victory for voting rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers.
A US district judge in Washington DC has dealt a significant blow to President Donald Trump's efforts to overhaul the country's election laws. In a ruling on Friday, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly blocked an executive order requiring proof of citizenship to be added to the federal voter registration form.
The move comes as part of a lawsuit brought by Democratic National Committee and various civil rights groups against the Trump administration. The plaintiffs argued that such a requirement was unconstitutional and would disproportionately affect eligible voters, particularly low-income communities and individuals with limited English proficiency.
In her ruling, Judge Kollar-Kotelly stated that the President lacks the authority to direct changes to election regulation, citing the Constitution's assignment of responsibility for election matters to states and Congress. She also emphasized that the Constitution does not grant the President a direct role in regulating voting qualifications or federal election procedures.
The ruling effectively halts the Trump administration's efforts to implement the proof-of-citizenship requirement, which was intended to restore public confidence in the electoral process. However, it leaves open the possibility of ongoing lawsuits and challenges to other provisions of the executive order, including a requirement that all mailed ballots be received by election day.
In related news, 19 Democratic state attorneys general have also asked a separate federal court to reject Trump's executive order. Other states, such as Washington and Oregon, where mail-in voting is widespread, have filed their own lawsuits against the order. The outcome of these cases remains uncertain, but the ruling in Friday's case provides a significant victory for voting rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers.
and I'm so relieved that our democracy is still standing strong 
! It's crazy to think that someone would even try to restrict voting rights like that... it's just not right 
. And the fact that a federal judge stepped in and blocked it? That's what we need more of, you know? 
Like, our government is supposed to be for the people, by the people, not against us 
. And I'm so glad that all these states are speaking up and fighting for their citizens' rights too 
!
This ruling is a huge win for democracy and a major blow to Trump's attempts to restrict voting rights 
. It's also refreshing to see civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers standing up for their constituents' right to vote, which is fundamental to our democracy 
.
this judge is literally a hero! i was so worried that trump was gonna try to screw with our democracy, but it looks like he's not getting away with it. proof of citizenship is such a ridiculous requirement, especially for low-income communities and ppl who are trying to exercise their right to vote. now we can finally focus on making sure all voices are heard in this country 
what's up with this proof of citizenship thingy? like, why would we even need it? aren't we Americans already citizens or w/e? 
plus it's just gonna disenfranchise people who can't prove it, you feel me? low-income folks and non-native english speakers are already struggling to get their voices heard. this is just another way for politicians like trump to suppress votes from the people they're supposed to represent. 
this judge really knows her stuff. requiring proof of citizenship on voter registration forms is like, soooo unnecessary & will only disenfranchise people who already struggle to make ends meet 
the fact that states can handle their own election regulations anyway is kinda obvious 
.
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. seriously though, this ruling is a big win for democracy and equality of all citizens. no more trying to disenfranchise low-income folks or non-English speakers - that's just plain crazy talk 
. now let's hope the other lawsuits get resolved soon and we can all focus on getting out the vote in 2026 
.
I'm thinking that if they can make it harder to vote, why do we need all this extra hoops? 
I'm not saying that everyone needs a birth certificate, but some kind of proof of citizenship might be fair. The fact that 19 Democratic state attorneys general are fighting against it tells me there's a lot more to this story than meets the eye. Can we just make sure people can vote without being hounded by bureaucracy? 
. Still, not sure what's gonna happen with those other lawsuits against it...
Trump's attempt to make people prove citizenship just to vote is straight up messed up 
. It's like he thinks only certain people should have a say in the country they live in? No way, not on my watch 
.
. And what about all the folks who can't even speak English fluently or don't have proof of citizenship? That just sounds like voter suppression to me 
. Now, let's see how other states play out their own lawsuits against this order... fingers crossed they all come out in favor of voting rights too 
?