A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has temporarily blocked key portions of a March 25 executive order issued by former President Donald Trump, which aimed to make substantial changes to voter registration procedures in the United States.
The main provision directed the independent Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to amend the national mail voter registration form to require applicants to submit documentation proving U.S. citizenship. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly placed this instruction on hold, stating that the Constitution grants Congress and the states—not the Executive Branch—the primary authority to regulate federal elections.
The ruling also pauses another section of the order that instructed certain government agencies to verify citizenship status before providing registration forms to individuals receiving public assistance. According to the judge, this conflicts with the 1993 National Voter Registration Act, which mandates that agencies offer such forms unless the applicant opts out.
Advocacy groups have expressed concern that the documentation requirement could create obstacles for millions of eligible voters, particularly those without easy access to passports or other specified documents. The current registration form already requires applicants to affirm, under penalty of perjury, that they are U.S. citizens.
Although other elements of the executive order remain under legal review, the current injunction serves as a temporary halt while the courts assess the order’s legality. A separate legal challenge brought by attorneys general from multiple states is also moving forward in a different federal court.
Meanwhile, state and local election officials are awaiting further guidance as legal proceedings continue, uncertain of what procedural changes, if any, will be implemented.
