Image Credit: Portland Press Herald / Contributor / Getty Images 
A district judge has ruled the Trump administration cannot require proof of citizenship for voters.
On Friday, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly prohibited election officials from updating the federal voter-registration form to require proof of citizenship, despite federal law prohibiting non-citizens from voting.
In an Executive Order issued in March, President Trump direct the Election Assistance Commission to change the form to require proof of citizenship, such as a US passport.
In an 81-page opinion, the Judge said Trump lacks the authority to change federal election procedures.
“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 wrote.
Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, said in response, “President Trump has exercised his lawful authority to ensure only American citizens are casting ballots in American elections… We expect to be vindicated by a higher court.”
Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s ruling came as a result of lawsuits filed by a number of different groups, including the Democrat National Committee and Democrats in Congress.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer hailed the ruling on X: “We just won a big court case as a lead plaintiff to stop the Trump administration from disenfranchising Americans, and especially women and service members.”
Judge Kollar-Kotelly previously issued a preliminary injunction to prevent officials from updating the voter-registration form to require proof of citizenship.
