A federal judge in Massachusetts on Friday blocked part of President Donald Trump’s executive order that seeks to revamp how elections are run in the United States.
Judge Denise Casper issued a preliminary injunction halting requirements to show written proof of US citizenship when registering to vote in elections and Trump’s effort to prohibit states from counting mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day. The mail-in ballot ruling applies only in states that filed the lawsuit.
Non-citizens are already prohibited from voting in federal elections, but opponents of the executive order argue that requiring the documentary proof of citizenship will deter people from registering.
Casper, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, cited examples such as college students or immigrants who don’t have access to a birth certificate or passport. (CNN)