Judge blocks Trump admin from requiring proof of citizenship on federal election forms

A judge has ruled that the Trump administration cannot require proof of citizenship for federal voting forms. The decision came down on Friday, where she said that only Congress, and not the Executive branch, can regulate elections.

Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, said in a ruling that only Congress will have the power to regulate federal elections, and ruled that an executive order from Trump signed in March to require documentary proof of citizenship on federal voting forms was unconstitutional.

“The first question presented in these consolidated cases is whether the President, acting unilaterally, may direct changes to federal election procedures. Because our Constitution assigns responsibility for election regulation to the States and to Congress, this Court holds that the President lacks the authority to direct such changes."

The judge ruled on the case after a challenge was brought by multiple Democratic groups against the order made earlier this year called "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections."

White House spokesman Abigail Jackson responded to the ruling: "President Trump has exercised his lawful authority to ensure only American citizens are casting ballots in American elections. This is so commonsense that only the Democrat Party would file a lawsuit against it. We expect to be vindicated by a higher court."

The order that was released in March said that the "Election Assistance Commission shall take appropriate action to require, in its national mail voter registration form issued under" US law to have "documentary proof of United States citizenship, consistent with 52 U.S.C. 20508(b)(3)."