Judge allows Trump election integrity order to stand as voter fraud cases mount

A federal judge Thursday declined to block President Donald Trump’s executive order overhauling mail ballot procedures and requiring citizenship verification for voter rolls.

The ruling delivers a setback to Democrats seeking to stop the order ahead of the November midterm elections.

Washington-based U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols ruled the Democratic challenge was filed too early, Reuters reported.

“Given that the Executive Order does not command Plaintiffs to do anything, and that no agency has yet acted pursuant to the Order in a way that could harm Plaintiffs, they have not suffered any harm at present, much less harm that is ‘certain,’ ‘great,’ and imminent,” Nichols, a Trump appointee, wrote.

The judge also indicated he agreed with the White House’s argument that the president has a duty to enforce federal voting laws through the order.

A coalition of 23 Democratic-led states has filed a separate lawsuit challenging the order, PBS reported.

A hearing is scheduled in Boston in June before U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee, Reuters reported.

Talwani has issued other rulings against the Trump administration that were later reversed by higher courts, the Washington Examiner noted.

With conflicting rulings possible from multiple courts, legal observers say the constitutional questions could ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

Democrats argue the order risks excluding lawfully registered voters, while the Department of Justice argued the lawsuit was premature, Reuters reported.

Trump’s order directs the federal government to compile verified citizen voter lists for each state and transmit them at least 60 days before each federal election.

It also directs the U.S. Postal Service to limit ballot delivery to voters on approved state participation lists.

Election officials who issue ballots to ineligible voters could face prioritized federal prosecution under the order.

Democrats argue the president has no constitutional authority over state-run elections.

The White House said the order simply gives the president tools to enforce existing laws preventing noncitizens from voting and stopping voter fraud.

“The Federal Government has an unavoidable duty under Article II of the Constitution of the United States to enforce Federal law,” the order states, “which includes preventing violations of Federal criminal law and maintaining public confidence in election outcomes.”

Nichols echoed that argument, writing that the president has a duty to enforce federal election laws, “particularly one expressly conditioned on feasibility and compliance with applicable law.”

The ruling comes as a series of voter fraud cases, including cases involving noncitizens voting, continue drawing national attention.

In California, a Los Angeles woman pleaded guilty to paying homeless individuals on Skid Row between $2 and $3 each to register to vote over a 20-year period, The Lion reported.

In North Carolina, Canadian national Denis Bouchard, 70, pleaded guilty in March to falsely certifying his eligibility on voter registration applications, the DOJ said.

The plea involved two election cycles, including the 2024 presidential election.

“This shows that our elections remain under attack from aliens,” U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle said. “We will not tolerate noncitizens lying to illegally vote here in North Carolina.”

Boyle referenced a North Carolina state Senate race decided by 23 votes.

In Maryland, former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts pleaded guilty in January to falsely claiming citizenship on employment forms.

Roberts, 55, is a Guyanese national whose work authorization expired in 2020 and who was ordered deported in 2024, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

ICE said Roberts also faced multiple weapons and drug charges dating back to 1996.

Despite that, he remained registered to vote in Maryland.

The Washington Times reported Roberts had been listed on Maryland’s voter rolls as a registered Democrat since 2011. Public Interest Legal Foundation said he remained on the rolls three months after pleading guilty and publicly acknowledging he was not a U.S. citizen.

“We do give driver’s licenses to people who are here illegally,” Maryland state Del. Lauren Arikan told Fox News. “And, so, it’s very easy for somebody to apply and to register to vote, even though they shouldn’t.”

Both Bouchard and Roberts registered through state motor vehicle systems that relied on applicants self-certifying their citizenship status.

“Every eligible citizen should have confidence that an alien voting illegally will get sniffed out and prosecuted,” Boyle said.