The Trump administration launched a series of measures aimed at tightening election integrity by requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
These efforts, designed to prevent illegal voting and ensure election security, have encountered significant legal resistance.
In March, President Trump issued an executive order mandating that federal voter registration forms require documentary proof of citizenship.
This order also directed the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to enforce these new rules and required states to verify and record citizenship documents presented by voters.
Additional provisions sought to impose stricter requirements on absentee ballots for military and overseas voters, as well as new protocols for federal voter registration agencies to assess citizenship before distributing voter forms to individuals enrolled in public assistance programs.
However, a federal judge in Massachusetts has temporarily blocked the administration from implementing five key sections of the order.
U.S. District Judge Denise Casper granted a preliminary injunction in response to a lawsuit filed by attorneys general from 19 states.
The judge found that the states have a strong likelihood of prevailing in their challenge against the executive order, which they argue oversteps presidential authority and conflicts with existing federal laws.
“There is no dispute