Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Citizenship Verification Rule for Voter Registration.
In a significant ruling, US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly has struck down key provisions of President Donald Trump's executive order aiming to tighten citizenship verification requirements for voter registration and absentee ballot applications.
The judge held that the Constitution gives states and Congress the authority to set rules for federal elections, rather than the president. Consequently, Kollar-Kotelly blocked a provision requiring documentary proof of American citizenship on federal voter registration forms, effectively invalidating its implementation.
The White House had issued the executive order in March 2023 under the title "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections." Trump signed the order with the intention of enhancing election security and reducing potential instances of voter impersonation or foreign interference. However, Kollar-Kotelly's ruling means that the administration cannot unilaterally alter federal election procedures.
The outcome of this ruling is a major blow to President Trump's efforts to restrict access to voting, particularly for non-citizens. The decision underscores the ongoing tension between the executive and judicial branches of government, with judges consistently asserting their authority to safeguard democratic processes and constitutional rights.
As the story continues to unfold, it remains unclear how the White House will respond to this ruling or whether there will be any appeals filed against Kollar-Kotelly's decision. For now, voters and election officials can breathe a sigh of relief as the prospect of stricter citizenship verification requirements is temporarily at bay.
In a significant ruling, US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly has struck down key provisions of President Donald Trump's executive order aiming to tighten citizenship verification requirements for voter registration and absentee ballot applications.
The judge held that the Constitution gives states and Congress the authority to set rules for federal elections, rather than the president. Consequently, Kollar-Kotelly blocked a provision requiring documentary proof of American citizenship on federal voter registration forms, effectively invalidating its implementation.
The White House had issued the executive order in March 2023 under the title "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections." Trump signed the order with the intention of enhancing election security and reducing potential instances of voter impersonation or foreign interference. However, Kollar-Kotelly's ruling means that the administration cannot unilaterally alter federal election procedures.
The outcome of this ruling is a major blow to President Trump's efforts to restrict access to voting, particularly for non-citizens. The decision underscores the ongoing tension between the executive and judicial branches of government, with judges consistently asserting their authority to safeguard democratic processes and constitutional rights.
As the story continues to unfold, it remains unclear how the White House will respond to this ruling or whether there will be any appeals filed against Kollar-Kotelly's decision. For now, voters and election officials can breathe a sigh of relief as the prospect of stricter citizenship verification requirements is temporarily at bay.
! i mean, trump's whole voter suppression thing was already super shady, but this ruling is like the ultimate middle finger to his efforts 
. it's all about protecting our democracy and making sure everyone can vote, regardless of their citizenship status - that's just basic human rights, imo 
. i guess we'll just have to wait and see how the white house reacts to this news, but for now, let's just enjoy the fact that our votes are still safe 
. it's a shame because voter ID laws are already kinda restrictive for some folks... but at the same time, we gotta make sure our elections are super secure, right? so maybe instead of just blocking trump's rule, they should've been working together with him to come up with some common ground 
?
for all you people trying to vote 
! I was worried that Trump's rule would make it harder for ppl without citizenship to register and vote, but thankfully the judge said nope, not gonna happen 
. It's crazy how powerful judges can be in stopping the president from changing laws without Congress' approval 
. Now we just have to see what happens next 
...
Let's keep pushing for stricter voter ID laws, but not at the cost of disenfranchising legitimate voters #ProtectTheRightToVote!
but I guess that's not how it works in the US, glad we got a judge like Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to step in and stop this from getting out of hand. now voters don't have to worry about extra hoops to jump through just to cast their ballots. still though, this is a big deal for democracy and I'm curious to see how the White House reacts to this ruling 
The White House might try to appeal, but let's be real, they're gonna lose in the end. 