Federal judge halts DHS doorstep voter intimidation in nine states
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U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin found that the Department of Homeland Security’s door-to-door questioning of households about immigration status and voting activity likely violates the Voting Rights Act, stopping the operation in nine states through Election Day.
A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the Department of Homeland Security to stop its door-to-door interrogations about immigration status and recent voting activity in nine states, finding that the practice likely violates the Voting Rights Act. The injunction, issued by U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin, bars "elections-related field operations and field interviews" that could sweep up U.S. citizens in states that include California and New York. The order will remain in effect through Election Day and was stayed until 5 p.m. on Friday to give the government time to decide whether to appeal.
The ruling comes after a CBS News investigation documented agents going to homes in multiple states. While the administration has portrayed the effort as a way to prevent noncitizen voting, the judge concluded that the policy likely violates a provision of the Voting Rights Act that bans intimidation or coercion of voters and those who help them. Martinez-Olguin said the government’s system for building target lists—using data from multiple agencies and commercial sources—has a "high likelihood of error."
The decision was welcomed by plaintiffs including the California Nurses Association, National Nurses United and the advocacy group Protect Democracy. Beau Tremitiere, counsel for Protect Democracy, said the ruling shows that "American citizens hold the ultimate power in our democracy, not the government."
The Justice Department earlier this week announced arrests of several dozen green-card holders in California on allegations of illegal voter registration. The administration has highlighted a focus on voter fraud, though the Justice Department says only 156 voting-fraud related charges have been filed since the beginning of the current term.