Judge Blocks Trump's 2025 Election Order, Voiding Proof-of-Citizenship and Mail Ballot Rules
Updated
Updated · The New Republic · Jun 24
Judge Blocks Trump's 2025 Election Order, Voiding Proof-of-Citizenship and Mail Ballot Rules
3 articles · Updated · The New Republic · Jun 24
Summary
U.S. District Judge Denise Casper permanently barred most of Trump’s 2025 election order, blocking both its proof-of-citizenship voter registration mandate and its Election Day mail-ballot receipt rule.
Casper said the order violated separation of powers because the Constitution leaves election regulation to states and Congress, rejecting the administration’s argument that the Democratic-led challenge was premature.
Trump’s order had threatened to withhold federal funding from states that refused to comply, raising the stakes for election administration before the ruling shut down most of the plan.
Stephen Miller signaled a likely appeal after the decision, while Trump has also pushed Congress to pass the SAVE America Act after earlier legislative efforts triggered backlash and funding gridlock.
Georgia’s 2024 audit found 20 non-citizens on voter rolls out of 8.2 million residents—0.00024%—underscoring how rare the voter-fraud cases cited by Trump allies have been.
How can states secure elections without disenfranchising millions of citizens who lack the required documents?
What are the risks of using imperfect federal databases to determine an individual's fundamental right to vote?
Federal Court Blocks Trump’s Proof-of-Citizenship Voter Mandate: Legal, Legislative, and Constitutional Showdown Over U.S. Election Law
Overview
A recent federal court ruling by Judge Denise Casper rejected the Trump administration’s claim that a lawsuit challenging proposed changes to federal voter registration rules was premature, allowing the legal challenge to move forward. The Trump administration argued the lawsuit was invalid because the rules had not yet been implemented, but the court found the challenge timely. This decision highlights ongoing legal battles over efforts to require proof of citizenship for voting, reflecting broader debates about election integrity, voter access, and the balance of power between federal and state authorities in shaping election laws.