Politics
Federal judge blocks Justice Department collection of state voter rolls
A US district judge found the administration's program to cross-reference voter files against an immigration database unlawful.
The short version
- US District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan ruled that the Justice Department acted unlawfully by gathering unredacted state voter records to cross-check against a federal immigration database.[The Guardian · Al Jazeera]
- The 78-page ruling determined the initiative violated privacy protections, risked disenfranchising legitimate voters, and overstepped federal authority assigned by Congress to the states.[The Guardian]
- Eighteen mostly Republican-led states had previously complied with requests to provide data, while the Justice Department sued 30 states and Washington, D.C., resulting in 26 case dismissals.[Al Jazeera]
- The Justice Department stated that it is reviewing the decision, and potential appeals remain unannounced.[Al Jazeera]
Key facts
- US District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan ruled that the Justice Department's collection of unredacted state voter rolls to cross-check against an immigration database was unlawful.[The Guardian · Al Jazeera]
- In a 78-page ruling, the judge determined the policy breached privacy laws, carried disenfranchisement risks, and exceeded federal authority since Congress tasked voter roll maintenance to states.[The Guardian]
- Eighteen states, mostly governed by Republicans, had handed over unredacted voter records under the program.[Al Jazeera]
- The Justice Department sued 30 states and Washington, D.C., for not turning over voter records, with 26 of those lawsuits being dismissed.[Al Jazeera]
- The US Supreme Court earlier placed a temporary hold on a separate June decision by Judge Sooknanan concerning the voter database program.[The Guardian · Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- The Justice Department's subsequent legal actions remain unknown as it reviews the decision.[Al Jazeera]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.
- Federal judge rules against Trump DoJ’s policy of collecting state voter rollsThe Guardian - US
- US judge rules Trump administration’s use of voter data unlawfulAl Jazeera
- Judge strikes down DOJ's policy of reviewing state voter rollsCBS News - Top Stories
- Federal judge: DOJ cannot request states' voter lists for eligibility databaseThe Hill
- Federal Judge Blocks DOJ From Accessing State Voter RollsThe Washington Sun