Federal Judge Blocks DOJ Voter‑Roll Check Against Immigration Database

A federal judge ruled Friday that the Justice Department’s practice of gathering unredacted state voter rolls to compare with a federal immigration database violates privacy statutes. In a 78‑page opinion, Judge Sparkle Sooknanan found the policy, created to fulfill a Donald Trump‑issued election‑integrity executive order, unlawful.

The decision highlights concerns that the list‑maintenance program could lead to the wrongful removal of eligible voters. By breaching privacy protections, the policy risked disenfranchising individuals whose immigration status was incorrectly linked to voter registration records.

The ruling does not address any ongoing investigations but signals that the Justice Department must revise its approach to voter‑roll verification to comply with existing privacy laws.

Why It Matters

The case underscores how U.S. privacy and election laws intersect, a concern for democracies worldwide that grapple with data use in voting systems.