A federal judge has permanently blocked the enforcement of a presidential order that would have required proof of U.S. citizenship for those registering to vote using the federal form. The ruling found that the president does not have unilateral authority to alter federal election registration rules, a power which the Constitution assigns to Congress and the states.
The decision prevents the U.S. Election Assistance Commission from adding a citizenship-document requirement to the federal voter registration form. Civil-rights organizations and the Democratic Party had challenged the order, arguing it would disenfranchise eligible voters by creating additional barriers.
The administration stated that it viewed the measure as a protection against non-citizen voting, and it plans to appeal the ruling, maintaining the requirement is “commonsense” and within its authority.