Judge Permanently Blocks Trump Proof-Of-Citizenship Voting Order
On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, U.S. District Judge Denise Casper permanently blocked most of President Donald Trump's first election executive order, including its proof-of-citizenship requirement for voter registration.[1]
Casper's order also barred the executive branch from implementing a rule that would have prevented counting mail ballots that arrive after Election Day even if postmarked.[1] She wrote that regulating federal elections is a power reserved to the states and to Congress, and that the Constitution does not grant the president specific election powers.[1]
On March 25, 2025, Trump ordered the Election Assistance Commission to add a documentary proof-of-citizenship demand to the federal mail voter registration form and to take other steps on mail-ballot deadlines. Democratic state attorneys general and voting rights groups sued in multiple courts, and Casper issued a preliminary injunction in June 2025 that she has now converted into a permanent ban. Other federal judges issued similar blocks, and most states declined to implement the administration's requirements.
The administration says it will pursue changes in Congress and is backing the SAVE America Act to impose proof-of-citizenship rules legislatively after courts restricted its executive approach. All 49 states with voter registration systems already require applicants to declare under penalty of perjury that they are U.S. citizens, and 12 states require documentary proof of citizenship in some registration cases.
The mainstream summary does not mention that while 49 states require applicants to declare U.S. citizenship under penalty of perjury, only 12 states have laws mandating proof of citizenship for voter registration in certain cases. This distinction highlights the varying degrees of voter registration requirements across the country, which may influence the debate around Trump's executive order. Furthermore, state audits have revealed that noncitizen registrations or votes occur at an extremely low rate, with instances identified at 0.0002% or lower, such as just 20 cases out of 8.2 million registered voters in Georgia. This data challenges the narrative that noncitizen voting is a widespread issue necessitating stricter regulations, suggesting that the push for proof-of-citizenship requirements may be more about political strategy than addressing a significant problem.[2]
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📊 Relevant Data
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare under penalty of perjury that they are U.S. citizens.
Proof of citizenship requirements for voter registration by state — Ballotpedia
Twelve states have laws requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in at least some cases.
Proof of citizenship requirements for voter registration by state — Ballotpedia
State audits have identified noncitizen registrations or votes at rates of 0.0002% or lower, such as 20 cases out of 8.2 million registered voters in Georgia.
Four Things to Know about Noncitizen Voting — Bipartisan Policy Center
📌 Key Facts
- On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, Judge Denise Casper issued a permanent injunction against most of Trump’s first election executive order.
- The order’s key provisions would have required documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration and barred counting mail ballots arriving after Election Day, even if postmarked.
- Casper held that regulating elections is a power of states and Congress, writing that the Constitution does not grant the president specific election powers.
- The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by Democratic state attorneys general and converts a preliminary injunction from a year earlier into a permanent ban.
- Trump is simultaneously backing the SAVE America Act in Congress to impose proof-of-citizenship requirements legislatively after courts restricted his executive approach.
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