(José Niño, Headline USA) On Monday, Democratic Party leadership filed a lawsuit to halt Donald Trump’s executive order, which bars non-citizens from voting.
INBOX: The DNC, Chuck Schumer, and Hakeem Jeffries have filed a lawsuit against President Trump to stop his executive order, which prohibits non-citizens from voting. pic.twitter.com/EdF5zSM7FP
— Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) April 2, 2025
The lawsuit in question was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by a coalition of Democratic leaders and organizations made up of Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).
Additional lawsuits were filed by non-profit organizations such as the Campaign Legal Center, the State Democracy Defenders Fund, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Secure Families Initiative, and the Arizona Students’ Association.
The lawsuits address President Trump’s March 2025 executive order, titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,” which rolled out several major changes to federal election procedures.
The order mandates states to secure proof of citizenship from individuals registering to vote in federal elections.
It also directs states to get rid of mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day from the overall count, even if they were postmarked on time.
On top of that, the order would allow the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, to access national voter registration data.
The main legal argument in these lawsuits centers on the Constitution’s Elections Clause.
The plaintiffs contend that this clause grants states—not the President—the power to determine the “times, places, and manner” of elections, allowing them to establish regulations and manage voting procedures.
The lawsuits emphasize that only states and Congress have constitutional authority over elections.
The 70-page legal filing submitted by the Democratic organizations states: “While the order heavily reflects the president’s personal grievances, conspiratorial views, and denial of election results, it fails to identify any legal power he has to enforce such broad alterations to the voting process in America”.
The White House has defended the executive order, maintaining that it will uphold “free” and “fair” elections through stricter standards designed to maintain election integrity.
White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields stated, “The Democrats continue to demonstrate their contempt for the Constitution, which is evident in their outrageous objections to the President’s sensible executive actions aimed at requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to safeguard the integrity of American elections.”
Fields added, “The Trump administration is advocating for free, fair, and honest elections, and posing this fundamental question is vital to our Constitutional Republic.”
This lawsuit is the latest development in an ongoing dispute over presidential authority and electoral regulations, with significant legal and constitutional questions at stake.
Multiple lawsuits have been filed challenging President Trump’s recent executive order on election administration, which includes proof of citizenship requirements for voter registration and changes to mail-in ballot procedures.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
