On July 25, 2026, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston upheld an injunction blocking key provisions of a March executive order by President Donald Trump that aimed to change mail-in voting rules for federal elections. The court's decision follows a ruling by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, who found parts of the executive order unconstitutional after a lawsuit was filed by 23 Democratic states and the District of Columbia.
The executive order, titled "Ensuring Citizenship Verification And Integrity in National Elections," instructed the Department of Homeland Security to compile a list of eligible voters and required the Postal Service to verify ballot processing based on this data. Additionally, it mandated the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute election officials who issued ballots to ineligible voters.
The appeals court rejected the Trump administration's argument that the lawsuit was premature, stating that the agencies involved had not finalized actions to implement the order. Talwani noted that Trump lacked the authority to direct the DHS to compile such data. The Department of Justice has indicated it may seek intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the case.