Federal Judge Denise Casper in Boston has issued a preliminary injunction blocking parts of President Donald Trump’s executive order on federal elections. The injunction, requested by 19 Democratic-led states, prevents the implementation of requirements such as proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and the exclusion of mail-in ballots received after Election Day. This legal action comes in response to Trump’s order signed in March, which raised doubts about election integrity and alleged widespread voter fraud leading to his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.

Judge Casper’s ruling emphasizes that the President lacks specific powers over elections as outlined in the Constitution. She highlighted that while Election Day statutes mandate votes to be cast by that day, they do not require ballots to be received by then. Therefore, the 13 states involved in the lawsuit can continue counting mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day without facing enforcement actions from the Department of Justice.

Moreover, Casper criticized provisions in Trump’s order that tasked the U.S. Election Assistance Commission with updating the federal voter registration form to include requirements for documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. She noted that while citizenship is necessary for voting in federal elections, the authority to set such requirements lies with Congress, which has never mandated documentary proof of citizenship.

The White House did not offer a comment on the ruling, but its argument in court was that the executive order was lawful and that legal challenges were premature. Trump’s order aimed to address alleged issues in the electoral system, citing concerns about non-citizen voting, despite such occurrences being rare. This legal battle reflects broader controversies surrounding election procedures and the balance of power between federal and state authorities.