Judge halts DHS door-knocking operation seeking noncitizen voters

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 22 Oct, 16:20 · Archive

A federal judge ordered the Department of Homeland Security to stop conducting door-knocking operations asking people about their immigration status and voting intentions in nine states. U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin ruled late Wednesday that the practice likely violates the Voting Rights Act, particularly where it involves U.S. citizens whom officials 'know, suspect, or should reasonably know or suspect' are citizens.

The nine states affected are California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin. Homeland Security Investigations had posted photos and videos of agents visiting homes. The Trump administration defended the operations as part of efforts to crack down on voting by noncitizens, but critics argued they could intimidate legal voters and people assisting others to vote.

Groups including the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United sued over the operations. Judge Martinez-Olguin found a 'high likelihood of error' in the government's process for building a list of people to visit. She ruled that 'the public's interest in safe elections, free from interference or intimidation' outweighed the government's stated interest in investigating noncitizen voting. The order will remain in effect until polls close on Election Day, though it has been stayed until 5 p.m. Friday to allow the Department of Homeland Security time to seek an appeal.

How it is being reported

• Judge bars DHS from asking people about their status and plans to voteThe Department of Homeland Security can't continue its door-knocking and "field interviews" asking about immigration status and if they will vote.UPI · 22 Oct, 16:09
• Judge curbs DHS efforts to conduct sweeps for possible noncitizen votersA federal judge ruled DHS's practice of knocking on doors and asking people about their immigration status — and whether they have voted in recent elections — likely violates the Voting Rights Act.CBS News · 22 Oct, 04:00

In this story: Department of Homeland Security · Araceli Martinez-Olguin · California Nurses Association · National Nurses United · California · New York

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