Judge Restricts DHS Election Investigations in Nine States

A federal judge in California barred the Department of Homeland Security from conducting election-related field operations in nine states through Election Day, finding that unreliable voter data and the investigations could intimidate eligible voters. The injunction applies to California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin, when operations involve or are likely to involve U.S. citizens. Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín said no federal database verifies the citizenship of all U.S. residents, making DHS’s voter-matching lists potentially unreliable. The ruling followed a lawsuit by voting-rights groups and local governments; DHS said it was targeting noncitizens who vote, although reported instances of noncitizen voting remained rare. The Trump administration may appeal.