Judge limits DHS noncitizen voting probes in nine states until Election Day
A federal judge has ordered Homeland Security to stop some voting probes in nine states, AP, The Washington Post and Fox News reported. Fox News said the order covers certain field probes that involve US citizens. The judge put it on hold until Friday so the government can appeal.
A federal judge in California ruled Wednesday on a Homeland Security voting probe, according to AP, The Washington Post and Fox News. She said the department must stop some of its election probes in nine states.
AP said the order halts probes into whether noncitizens are signed up to vote. The Washington Post said the judge "restricted" the department from election-related probes. Fox News said the order blocks certain field probes into suspected illegal voting that involve US citizens. Fox News also said the judge did not find that looking into noncitizen voting was itself unlawful.
The order covers nine states, AP and Fox News reported. They are California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin.
Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin put her ruling on hold until Friday, AP and Fox News reported. That gives the administration time to appeal. The limits last until polls close on Election Day, November 3, AP reported.
The judge found that the lists used to pick targets were full of errors, AP reported. She called them "voluminous and unreliable," according to AP. The Washington Post said she found that the lists could sweep US citizens into the effort. During a "surge" that began in late August, agents had no more than 12 minutes to check each flagged person, AP reported.
She also found that the effort was leading to intimidation of groups that help people vote, AP reported. Fox News said she found that armed agents doing interviews at homes likely violate the Voting Rights Act.
Two nurses unions, the Voto Latino Foundation, San Francisco and Santa Clara County brought the lawsuit, AP reported.
The administration says it is a crime for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, Fox News reported. It says the department has the power to look into it. Fox News noted that President Joe Biden named the judge in 2022. The department said it has no plans to question people it believes are US citizens, AP reported. Fox News said voting by noncitizens is rare but that cases have been found.
"It was clear from the start that DHS built its lists on bad data," said Beau Tremitiere, a lawyer for the groups, according to AP.
What we know: The order limits some DHS voting probes in nine states through Election Day.
What we don't: Whether the government will appeal before Friday.
Where outlets agree AP, The Washington Post and Fox News report that the judge ruled Wednesday and that the order covers nine states, and AP and Fox News report that it lasts until Election Day.
Where they differ AP says the order halts investigations into whether noncitizens are registered to vote, while Fox News says it blocks certain field investigations involving US citizens and The Washington Post says it restricts election-related investigations.