Federal judge: DOJ cannot request states’ voter lists for eligibility database

AI Summary

A federal judge ruled that the U.S. Justice Department exceeded its authority and violated privacy laws by seeking state voter registration records. The decision blocks the Trump administration’s effort to identify suspected non-U.S. citizens in voter databases, including in cooperating states.

A federal judge struck down on Friday the Justice Department’s nationwide effort to collect voter registration records and identify suspected non-U.S. citizens, blocking the Trump administration from continuing the program even in states that voluntarily cooperated. U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan in Washington ruled the department exceeded its legal authority and violated federal privacy laws…