Trump administration pushes controversial state citizenship lists despite missed deadline

The Trump administration continues to pursue an unprecedented project to produce state citizenship lists of adults eligible to vote in the upcoming midterm elections, a task traditionally handled by the states. The initiative stems from a March 31 executive order that orders USCIS and the Social Security Administration to generate and transmit these lists to state officials no fewer than 60 days before a federal election, with the Attorney General promising to prosecute officials who issue ballots to ineligible voters.

Although a lower court had blocked key provisions in 23 states and Washington, D.C., the Supreme Court stayed that injunction, clearing the way for implementation. DOJ lawyers now say the portal will be launched with only a 48-hour notice to plaintiffs, missing the previously set Sept. 4 deadline. Privacy advocates, including EPIC and Protect Democracy, have filed motions to block a June 8 USCIS memo outlining the plan, citing violations of the Privacy Act, Social Security Act, and Administrative Procedures Act, and warning that outdated data could lead to widespread disenfranchisement. Meanwhile, DHS is also seeking vendors to analyze voter rolls for non-citizen registrations, despite evidence that such cases are extremely rare.