Federal judge rules against Trump DoJ’s policy of collecting state voter rolls

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Published: 2026-10-09T19:35:31.811Z • Permanent link

A federal judge has ruled against the Trump-era Department of Justice's policy of collecting state voter rolls against a federal immigration database. The decision comes after a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Association of Secretaries of State, which challenged the practice as unconstitutional. The policy, which was implemented in 2018, involved the Department of Justice's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency checking state voter rolls against a database of individuals suspected of being undocumented immigrants. The judge, U.S. District Judge John G. Walter of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, found that the practice was unlawful and ordered the Department of Justice to stop the practice immediately.

The lawsuit was filed by a coalition of state secretaries of state, including the leaders of California, New York, and Florida, who argued that the practice was a violation of federal law and state constitutions. The plaintiffs also argued that the practice was an attempt to suppress the votes of certain groups, particularly immigrants and people of color. The Department of Justice defended the policy, arguing that it was necessary to prevent voter fraud. However, the judge rejected this argument, finding that there was no evidence to support the claim that voter fraud was widespread enough to justify the practice.

The ruling is a significant victory for voting rights advocates, who have long argued that voter suppression tactics are a major threat to democracy. The decision is also a rebuke to the Trump-era Department of Justice, which was criticized for its aggressive enforcement of immigration laws. The ruling is expected to have far-reaching implications for voting rights and immigration policy in the United States.

The ruling has significant implications for companies that operate in the voting rights space. Companies such as Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic, which provide voting technology to state and local election officials, may be required to take steps to protect the security and integrity of their systems in light of the ruling. Research communities that study voting rights and election security may also need to take a closer look at the potential risks and consequences of sharing data with the federal government. The ruling also has implications for markets and policy environments that are affected by voting rights and immigration policy. For example, companies that operate in the financial services sector, such as banks and credit card companies, may be required to take steps to protect the financial information of immigrants and other vulnerable populations.

The ruling is also significant for policymakers who are seeking to protect voting rights and prevent voter suppression. The decision highlights the need for stronger safeguards to protect the security and integrity of voting systems, and for greater transparency and accountability in the way that voting data is collected and used. As policymakers seek to strengthen voting rights protections, they will need to consider the potential implications of sharing data with the federal government, and the need for safeguards to protect the rights of all citizens.

The ruling is part of a larger pattern of challenges to the Trump-era Department of Justice's policies on immigration and voting rights. In recent years, there have been a number of high-profile lawsuits and challenges to the Department of Justice's policies on immigration and voting rights, including challenges to the Trump administration's efforts to add a citizenship question to the census and to its policies on sanctuary cities. These challenges have been led by a coalition of civil rights groups, voting rights organizations, and other advocacy groups, which have argued that the policies are unconstitutional and undermine the rights of marginalized communities.