Washington (Washington Insider Magazine) – US President Donald Trump suffered a major defeat last week as District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly invalidated components from his initiative to maintain stringent citizenship documentation requirements for federal voting registration because the executive action transcended presidential boundaries.
Voting Rights Advocates Warned of Widespread Disenfranchisement
Democratic legislators, along with civil rights organizations, expressed concern the order had negative effects on minority groups, low-income Americans and naturalized citizens. The 2024 survey data showed that about one in ten eligible voters did not possess either a US passport or birth certificate despite needing these documents under Trump’s proposed policy.
Danielle Lang, a voting rights attorney at the Campaign Legal Center, celebrated the court’s decision, stating,
“No president has the authority to dictate our election systems and processes. The Constitution gives the states and Congress the express power to regulate our elections. We are happy to see that the Constitution’s core principle of separation of powers has been upheld in this instance, and we look forward to continuing our challenge so everyday Americans can make their voices heard without unnecessary barriers.”
Judge Rules President Lacks Authority to Impose Voter Registration Requirements
US district judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly at the federal district court in Washington supported this argument through the decision on Thursday.
“Our Constitution entrusts Congress and the States – not the President – with the authority to regulate federal elections,”
she wrote in a 120-page opinion.
“No statutory delegation of authority to the Executive Branch permits the President to short-circuit Congress’s deliberative process by executive order.”
Executive Order Leaving Door Open for Future Challenges
Trump’s controversial order components encountered judicial rejection despite the judge permitting specific provisions to stay active temporarily. The Department of Homeland Security keeps its obligation to share citizenship data with states while the administration can pursue non-citizen voter roll removal efforts.
The judge allowed part of the presidential order regarding late mail-in ballots for states to stand because plaintiffs failed to establish significant legal damage at this time. The judge allowed for future court challenges to potential disputes while concluding her ruling.
