A federal judge has permanently struck down a key part of a recent election-related executive order issued by President Donald Trump, ruling that the president does not have the authority to require voters to present proof of citizenship, such as a passpor,t before registering to vote. The decision marks the first final ruling against Trump’s March 25 directive, which sought broad changes to federal election procedures and had already been temporarily halted by earlier court actions.
Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., ruled that the section mandating citizenship documentation for voter registration violates the Constitution, noting that authority over election administration rests with individual states, not the president. Although she previously declined to block another part of the order aimed at preventing states from counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day, she issued a permanent block on the citizenship-proof requirement.
The ruling came in response to lawsuits from groups including the Democratic National Committee, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the League of Women Voters Education Fund. These organizations argued that the order would discourage or obstruct eligible voters from registering, particularly those who may not readily have access to passport-level documentation.
Under the challenged order, a federal election agency would have been required to revise the national voter registration form to demand proof of citizenship, and federal employees would have been instructed to verify the citizenship status of people receiving public benefits before offering voter registration forms. The judge found those requirements unlawful, reaffirming that states hold constitutional authority over election regulations.
Trump has repeatedly cast doubt on the reliability of American elections and continues to falsely assert that his 2020 defeat was caused by extensive voter fraud. He and his allies have also promoted unfounded claims of widespread voting by non-citizens, despite evidence showing that such instances are both illegal and extremely rare.
