Federal Judge Permanently Blocks Trump's Voter Citizenship Order

Court Rules Against Executive Order

A federal judge on Friday, October 31, 2025, issued a ruling that permanently blocks President Donald Trump's executive order requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for federal voter registration. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. sided with Democratic and civil rights groups, determining that the directive constituted an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers.

Judge Kollar-Kotelly's opinion stated, 'Because our Constitution assigns responsibility for election regulation to the States and to Congress, this Court holds that the President lacks the authority to direct such changes.' She further emphasized that the Constitution assigns 'no direct role to the President in either domain' regarding setting qualifications for voting and regulating federal election procedures.

The Executive Order's Mandate

President Trump's executive order, signed in March 2025, aimed to overhaul U.S. elections. A key provision of this order directed the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to require prospective voters to produce a U.S. passport or other valid government identification as proof of citizenship when registering to vote using the federal form. The administration and its allies had argued that such a mandate was necessary to restore public confidence that only American citizens participate in U.S. elections.

Legal Challenges and Permanent Injunction

The ruling stems from lawsuits filed by a coalition of groups, including the Democratic National Committee, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the League of Women Voters Education Fund, and the League of United Latin American Citizens. These plaintiffs argued that the President lacked the constitutional authority to unilaterally alter election procedures, a power reserved for Congress and the states. They also contended that the requirement would create barriers to voting for millions of eligible citizens, disproportionately affecting voters of color, women, service members, and the poor who may not readily possess such documents.

This decision makes permanent a preliminary injunction that Judge Kollar-Kotelly had issued against the proof-of-citizenship requirement in April 2025. The ruling specifically prohibits the EAC from taking any action to add the proof-of-citizenship requirement to the federal voter registration form.

Reactions and Future Implications

While the White House did not immediately return requests for comment in some reports, other sources indicated the administration's disagreement with the ruling. A White House spokesperson stated, 'President Trump has exercised his lawful authority to ensure only American citizens are casting ballots in American elections,' adding that it is 'so commonsense that only the Democrat Party would file a lawsuit against it.' Some reports also suggest the White House plans to appeal the decision. Voting rights advocates, however, hailed the ruling as a significant victory for democracy, reaffirming the constitutional principle of separation of powers in election administration.