Trump admin reveals it’s challenged voters in 5 states, and threatened election officials in all 50
Democracy Docket • • nation
Key Points:
- The Trump administration contacted five states—California, Nevada, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Washington—demanding they disenfranchise voters it claims are ineligible for the midterm elections, according to a DOJ disclosure obtained by Democracy Docket.
- The DOJ and DHS sent letters to these states seeking verification of noncitizen voters, but the DOJ denied that the letters sought to bar people from voting, instead requesting cooperation to confirm voter eligibility.
- Democratic groups have sued to block the administration’s efforts, alleging violations of the Voting Rights Act, and a federal judge ordered the DOJ to disclose which states received such demands, though the DOJ withheld some communications and objected to the inquiry’s scope.
- The DOJ also sent letters to all states reminding them to preserve voting records for 22 months after the election, warning of penalties for noncompliance under federal law.
- The judge plans to rule soon on a request for a temporary restraining order against the administration’s actions, while Democratic plaintiffs include major party committees, state parties, congressional leaders, and a naturalized citizen voter.
