Judge blocks DOJ voter eligibility data collection nationwide
A federal judge in Washington has thrown out the Justice Department’s nationwide effort to gather voter registration records and screen for noncitizens. The court found the department overstepped its legal powers and broke federal privacy protections by sharing sensitive data with other agencies. The case was brought by Common Cause and four voters, who warned the program could improperly remove eligible people from voting rolls before the midterms.
The ruling invalidates the department’s nationwide policy for maintaining voter lists, including in states that had chosen to participate. Judge Sparkle Sooknanan, appointed by President Biden, issued the 78-page decision after similar state-level challenges succeeded. The April suit was brought by Common Cause and four voters.
The program followed a Trump executive order and sought unredacted registration data, including addresses and partial Social Security numbers. At least 18 states provided records, which were shared with Homeland Security and checked through the SAVE system. The judge noted a 2006 audit finding about 3.3 million citizens wrongly flagged as noncitizens.
The decision may reassure voters who worry that eligible registrations could be removed based on flawed citizenship data, particularly in states that had agreed to cooperate. It could also complicate federal efforts to standardize voter-list checks, leaving states to manage list maintenance under varying rules. Because the ruling applies nationwide, its effects may extend beyond the participating states and shape how agencies share voter information ahead of future elections.