US court blocks Trump order on mail-in ballots, voter lists

A federal appeals court has dealt a blow to former President Donald Trump's efforts to centralize electoral control, blocking an executive order that sought to limit mail-in ballots. The ruling by the First Circuit Court of Appeals rejects the Trump administration's request to advance restrictions on mail-in voting in 23 states and the District of Columbia.

This judicial decision significantly curtails the federal government's ability to regulate state-level election participation. The court's determination upholds a previous block on the measure, meaning the federal government cannot dictate how states manage voter registration for the upcoming general elections. Specifically, the federal government will not be able to limit ballot delivery solely to individuals on a proposed citizenship registry. Instead, states will retain control over these processes within their territories.

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The federal government will not be able to limit ballot delivery solely to individuals on a proposed citizenship registry and control will remain the responsibility of the states, which must regulate registrations for the elections in their territories.

The Trump administration's executive order aimed to implement changes to mail-in voting, utilizing lists compiled by USCIS and the SSA. The order's intent was to restrict mail-in ballot distribution to only those individuals registered to vote. However, the court's decision means this policy will not be applied in the states that filed the collective lawsuit, effectively preserving the existing state-led electoral regulations for the November elections.

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The Justice Department is reviewing all of its legal options and expressed confidence that the executive order will ultimately be validated in higher instances.