Federal judge permanently bars Trump’s effort to require proof of citizenship to vote
The Boston magistrate expands her preliminary ruling, arguing the president does not have the authority to change US election rules
A federal judge on Wednesday permanently barred the administration of President Donald Trump from enforcing the executive order he signed to change election rules, including requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote.
The judge found that Trump violated the separation of powers by imposing new election legislation — an area that falls under the authority of the states and Congress. The Constitution “does not grant the president specific powers over elections,” wrote Boston District Court Judge Denise Casper.
The ruling makes permanent the preliminary injunction she issued a year ago, which temporarily blocked many of Trump’s initiatives to overhaul the electoral system. In March 2025, two months after returning to the White House, the Republican signed an executive order that, in addition to requiring proof of citizenship to vote, introduced other changes, such as preventing the counting of mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day — even if they were postmarked earlier.
Other court decisions have also opposed the executive order on elections, prompting the president to seek an alternative route to implement the changes he wants in the electoral system. To that end, he is pressing the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act — short for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act — which includes, among other measures, proof of citizenship as a requirement to vote.
In a statement, New York Attorney General Letitia James welcomed the court’s decision to block what she described as Trump’s “unconstitutional attempt to seize control of our elections” and said she would continue defending voting rights ahead of this year’s midterm elections.
“Generations of Americans fought tirelessly for the right to vote, and we honor their legacy by protecting that right against anyone who tries to undermine it,” she said.
In April 2025, Attorney General James and a coalition of 18 other states sued the Trump administration over the March 2025 executive order that sought to override state control of elections and make it harder for Americans to register and cast their ballots.
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