Federal Judge Bows to Trump, Jeopardizing Voting Rights with Mail-In Ballot Plan
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A U.S. district judge has removed a nationwide injunction, enabling the Trump administration to advance its controversial postal service directive targeting mail-in ballots, despite ongoing legal resistance from voting rights advocates.
On Wednesday, a Boston federal judge lifted a nationwide injunction that had been protecting voters from President Donald Trump’s latest assault on democracy: an executive order instructing the U.S. Postal Service to track and potentially reject mail-in ballots not appearing on a federal eligibility list. This alarming decision comes on the heels of a Supreme Court ruling Monday that sided with the administration and overturned a similar injunction in a case brought by California and 22 other states, further undermining efforts to ensure fair access to the ballot box. Judge Indira Talwani, presiding over both lawsuits, acknowledged that the plaintiffs—who include the League of Women Voters and other defenders of democratic participation—have 'substantial arguments that might persuade the Supreme Court to reach a different result' if the issue returns to the high court. Undeterred, the plaintiffs have filed a new complaint seeking an immediate halt to the Postal Service rule, urging the judge for a response by Thursday noon. The Trump administration, emboldened by the Supreme Court, argued that its decision should apply to both cases, and the judge acquiesced, lifting the injunction but noting that further litigation could still stop key parts of this dangerous order.