Federal Judge Blocks Key Citizenship Provision in Blow to Trump's Election Executive Order
A federal judge has dealt a significant blow to President Donald Trump's election executive order, blocking certain agencies from requesting citizenship status when distributing voter registration forms. In a ruling that underscores the Constitution's separation of powers, US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said the administration cannot unilaterally impose changes to federal election procedures.
The judge's decision permanently blocked two provisions of the executive order, which aimed to require proof of citizenship from individuals enrolling in public assistance programs and military personnel registering to vote. According to the ruling, these agencies cannot now "assess citizenship" before providing voter registration forms or require documentary proof of citizenship when military personnel register to vote.
The move is seen as a significant victory for voting rights advocates, who argue that such requirements are unnecessary and can disenfranchise eligible voters. Danielle Lang, a voting rights expert with the Campaign Legal Center, welcomed the ruling, saying it "upholds the separation of powers" and ensures that all Americans, including military personnel and their families living overseas, can participate in the democratic process.
The White House had argued that the executive order was necessary to ensure election security, but Friday's ruling is the latest setback for Trump's efforts. The administration has faced multiple lawsuits over its election reforms, with some courts blocking various provisions of the order. Despite this, congressional Republicans continue to push proposals requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.
Research has shown that voting by noncitizens is a rare problem, and experts argue that such requirements can have unintended consequences. Friday's ruling is among several recent decisions that have blocked or limited key components of Trump's election executive order, leaving the administration to reassess its strategy.
A federal judge has dealt a significant blow to President Donald Trump's election executive order, blocking certain agencies from requesting citizenship status when distributing voter registration forms. In a ruling that underscores the Constitution's separation of powers, US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said the administration cannot unilaterally impose changes to federal election procedures.
The judge's decision permanently blocked two provisions of the executive order, which aimed to require proof of citizenship from individuals enrolling in public assistance programs and military personnel registering to vote. According to the ruling, these agencies cannot now "assess citizenship" before providing voter registration forms or require documentary proof of citizenship when military personnel register to vote.
The move is seen as a significant victory for voting rights advocates, who argue that such requirements are unnecessary and can disenfranchise eligible voters. Danielle Lang, a voting rights expert with the Campaign Legal Center, welcomed the ruling, saying it "upholds the separation of powers" and ensures that all Americans, including military personnel and their families living overseas, can participate in the democratic process.
The White House had argued that the executive order was necessary to ensure election security, but Friday's ruling is the latest setback for Trump's efforts. The administration has faced multiple lawsuits over its election reforms, with some courts blocking various provisions of the order. Despite this, congressional Republicans continue to push proposals requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.
Research has shown that voting by noncitizens is a rare problem, and experts argue that such requirements can have unintended consequences. Friday's ruling is among several recent decisions that have blocked or limited key components of Trump's election executive order, leaving the administration to reassess its strategy.
this is like, soooo good news for voting rights!!! 
a judge just blocked this crazy citizenship requrirment thingy from trumps electin exec ord... i mean, wut was he thinkin'? 
requireing proof of citzenship 2 register 2 vote? like, how r u goin 2 enforce dat? 
& now military ppl n their fams livin overseas can vote without all that drama! 
danielle lang is like, totes right... this upholds the separashun of powaz 
& keeps americans from gettin disenfranchised. 
btw, i no voting by non-citizens iz rara problum...
. I mean, think about it, if they could do that, who would be in charge of making sure we follow the rules? The White House wants to say that requiring proof of citizenship is necessary for election security, but research shows it's not a big deal 
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. And if we start making up new rules left and right, it's like, what's the point of even having a democracy? I'm glad some smart folks are pushing back against these changes 
. It shows that we have checks and balances in place to make sure our government doesn't get too out of hand 
. Let's hope they take it as an opportunity to rethink their strategy and come up with better ways to protect our democracy 
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. All those extra steps for military personnel registering to vote just seemed like a bunch of red tape 
. And can you believe how hard it is to get voter registration forms out there? The government needs to make it easier for people to participate in our democracy, not harder 
. I'm all about making sure everyone has a say in our country's future 
. This ruling just makes me so happy 
that would be super unfair and probably disenfranchise tons of ppl... like military personnel who are already doing so much for our country. i'm glad the judge stepped in and blocked those provisions, it's a huge win for everyone who wants to make sure our democracy is fair and inclusive 
... so some judge just blocked this crazy provision about requiring citizenship proof for voter registration forms and military personnel registering to vote... like what even is the point of that? its so obvious itll disenfranchise ppl who arent even citizens lol. i mean i get that security is important but come on, research shows voting by noncitizens is super rare anyway 
. cant wait for the next move from trump and his team btw... will they just take this to court or what? 
. federal judge blocks key citizenship provision in blow to trump's election exec order lol what a surprise 
. Like, isn’t the whole point of having a democratic process that anyone who wants to participate can? It sounds like this ruling is a huge win for voting rights and all Americans who should be able to register without being asked for their citizenship status 
. Plus, research shows that it’s super rare for non-citizens to vote in the first place 
. I just wish more people would focus on actually helping with election security instead of trying to limit voter access 
. I mean, who needs proof of citizenship just to vote? It's like, isn't the whole point of having a democratic system that anyone with an interest can participate? And let's be real, non-citizens making up voting numbers is super low-key not a thing 
. I'm not surprised, though - this kind of stuff always happens with Trump at the helm 
for voting rights!!! I mean, can you even believe that some ppl thought they could just change federal election procedures without anyone stopping them? 
. I'm so glad voting rights experts like Danielle Lang are speaking out and advocating for people's right to vote without any hiccups 
The ruling ensures that all Americans can participate in the democratic process without any unnecessary hurdles. Kudos to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly for standing up for the Constitution's separation of powers! 
. The fact that they're able to block these citizenship requirements is a huge win for voting rights advocates - it's crazy how often we hear about the importance of making sure everyone who's eligible can participate 
Not necessarily through voter registration forms, though - that's where the problem lies.
. i mean, come on, folks! if u can't even trust the system, then whats the point? its all about makin' sure everyone has a say in how their country's run 
. but seriously, can't we just have a universal healthcare system and not worry about citizenship? 