Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Citizenship Proof Requirement for Voter Registration

A federal judge has blocked key portions of a Trump administration executive order that sought to require proof of citizenship for federal voter registration, ruling that such changes exceed the president's authority and must be determined by Congress and the states. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly also halted provisions that would have required federal agencies to assess citizenship status before offering voter registration forms and barred withholding federal funds from states not complying with these requirements. The ruling emphasized that the Constitution grants Congress and state governments—not the president—the power to regulate federal elections, and criticized the attempt to bypass this process via executive order. Portions of the order related to tightening mail-in ballot deadlines and federal review of voter rolls were not blocked. The judge's decision came in response to lawsuits from civil rights and voting rights groups, as well as the Democratic Party, who argued the order would disenfranchise eligible voters. The case highlights ongoing political and legal battles over voter eligibility and election regulation in the United States.