Trending Now - Federal Judge Allows Trump’s Mail-in Voting Plan to Proceed
WHO:
Al Jazeera - Judge Carl Nichols, President Donald Trump, Democrats, civil rights groups, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), United States Postal Service (USPS).
ABC News - U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, President Donald Trump, Democrats, civil rights groups.
WHAT:
Al Jazeera - Judge Carl Nichols stated that the case was not yet ready for judicial review, as the Trump administration is still developing the rules and procedures needed to enforce the measure.
Al Jazeera - Nichols wrote, “The Court recognizes that the Postal Service may ultimately issue a final rule that directly affects Plaintiffs or their members, or that the Government may develop State Citizenship Lists that omit specific individuals due to particularized flaws.”
ABC News - The legal battle against the provision is now shifting to Boston, where a separate lawsuit against the executive order is pending in federal court.
ABC News - Trump’s executive order is expected to create a national list of eligible voters and limit mail voting, potentially leading to sweeping changes in how American elections are run shortly before the midterm elections.
Al Jazeera - Judge Carl Nichols declined to immediately block Trump’s executive order tightening rules on mail-in voting.
Al Jazeera - Trump’s executive order calls on DHS to compile and transmit lists of confirmed US citizens eligible to vote in each state.
Al Jazeera - The executive order requires USPS to send mail-in ballots only to voters included on state-specific absentee and mail-in voting lists.
ABC News - Judge Nichols rejected the request by Democrats and civil rights groups to halt Trump’s executive order creating a federal voter list and limiting mail voting.
ABC News - The legal battle against the provision is shifting to Boston, where voting rights groups have a separate lawsuit against the executive order.
WHERE:
Al Jazeera - District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.
ABC News - Boston, Massachusetts.
WHEN:
ABC News - A hearing in the Boston case is scheduled for June 2.
Al Jazeera - The ruling was made on a Thursday.
ABC News - Trump issued the order in March.
ABC News - A hearing in the Boston case is scheduled for June 2.
WHY:
Al Jazeera - Voting rights groups have warned that the measures could rely on outdated or inaccurate federal citizenship databases and place excessive responsibility on the USPS, which does not directly administer elections.
Al Jazeera - Democrats and civil rights groups argued that the executive order would likely be unconstitutional because the authority to set election rules rests with states and Congress, not the president.
ABC News - Democrats and civil rights groups argued it was urgent to issue a restraining order due to the ongoing primary season and preparations for the fall midterm elections.
ABC News - Trump’s executive order was issued after a bill he supported to overhaul voting stalled in Congress.
HOW:
Al Jazeera - Judge Nichols agreed with the Trump administration’s argument that the case was premature because the order has not yet been enforced.
Al Jazeera - The directive involves using DHS and Social Security Administration data to create “state citizenship lists.”
(UPDATED May 29, 2026 04:20 UTC)
A federal judge has ruled that the case regarding Trump’s executive order is not yet ready for judicial review, as the administration continues to develop the necessary rules and procedures. This executive order aims to create a national list of eligible voters and restrict mail voting, which could significantly alter the landscape of American elections ahead of the midterm elections. Meanwhile, a separate lawsuit challenging this order is set to have a hearing in Boston on June 2, with voting rights groups expressing concerns about the potential reliance on flawed citizenship databases.
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(UPDATED May 29, 2026 01:38 UTC)
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols has declined to block President Trump's executive order that tightens rules on mail-in voting, which requires the Department of Homeland Security to compile lists of confirmed U.S. citizens eligible to vote in each state. The ruling, made in Washington, D.C., came after Democrats and civil rights groups sought to halt the order, arguing it could be unconstitutional and was urgent given the ongoing primary season and upcoming midterm elections. As the legal battle shifts to Boston, a hearing in a separate lawsuit against the executive order is scheduled for June 2.