Judge strikes down DOJ's policy of reviewing state voter rolls, saying it would "run roughshod over longstanding laws"

Key Points:

• A federal judge in D.C. has struck down the Trump administration's plan to check state voter rolls against federal immigration databases, ruling it violates laws protecting voters' rights and federal authority limits.
• The judge found the Justice Department lacks legal authority to demand voter lists, compare them to citizenship databases, and push states to remove alleged ineligible voters, citing violations of the Administrative Procedure Act and Privacy Act.
• The ruling applies to voter files already obtained and those still under litigation, and emphasizes that the power to determine voter eligibility rests with the states, not the federal government.
• The legal challenge was brought by advocacy group Common Cause and individual voters, who hailed the decision as a victory for voter protection, while the Justice Department is reviewing the ruling.
• Despite these setbacks, the impact on the upcoming midterm elections may be limited due to federal laws restricting removal of voters close to elections, and the broader federal push for election oversight remains controversial amid claims of rare voter fraud.