Judge declines to block Trump executive order on voter eligibility lists, mail-in voting limits

In a significant legal development just months before the 2026 midterm elections, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols has declined to halt President Donald Trump’s executive order establishing a nationwide framework for voter eligibility verification and new restrictions on the distribution of mail-in ballots.

The May 28 ruling gives the administration a temporary legal victory in its effort to strengthen election security while leaving the door open for future challenges as the policy moves closer to implementation.

Executive Order 14399

Signed on March 31, 2026, President Donald Trump’s executive order 14399 directs the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Social Security Administration, to develop “State Citizenship Lists” identifying verified U.S. citizens of voting age in each state.

According to the order, the lists would be compiled using federal records, including citizenship and naturalization databases, SSA information, and data from the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, before being shared with state election officials.

https://justthenews.com/government/courts-law/judge-declines-block-trump-executive-order-voter-eligibility-lists-mail