Federal judge permanently blocks Trump election order, citing separation of powers

A federal judge has permanently blocked President Trump's executive order that aimed to establish a federal voter list and restrict mail ballot recipients, ruling that it unconstitutionally violated the separation of powers. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani sided with a coalition of 22 states and the District of Columbia, asserting that election rules are the purview of states and Congress, not the president.

The ruling applies to the current midterm election cycle. The administration had argued that the challenges were premature and lacked legal basis. Trump's executive order, issued in March, proposed the federal government create a list of eligible voters and direct the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail ballots only to those on the list, a move election officials and the postal union argued could lead to abuse and chaos.

This decision follows a separate ruling that prohibited an earlier executive order requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration. Trump has continued to raise concerns about noncitizen voting, despite evidence suggesting it is rare and a felony punishable by deportation. The states challenging the order also argued it would impose a costly burden on election officials and spread fear of prosecution.