CBCFEXECUTIVEORDERTRACKER
DateIssued:March31,2026
Topic:Voting,Immigration
WHATDOESTHISEXECUTIVEORDERDO?
Thisexecutiveorderauthorizesfederalagenciestodevelopalistof eligiblevotersineachstatebasedoninformationfromsensitivefederal databasestoensurethatonlyUScitizensvoteinfederalelections, despiteacknowledgingthatexistingfederallawalreadyprohibitsnoncitizensfromregisteringtovoteorvotinginfederalelections.
Theorderthreatenselectionofficialswhoprovideballotstoineligible voterswithprosecutionandencouragesfederalagenciestowithhold fundingfromstatesthatdonotcomplywiththisorder.
TheorderalsoempowerstheUnitedStatesPostalService(USPS)to rejectmail-inandabsenteeballotsfromindividualswhodonotappear onalistdevelopedbythefederalgovernmentandsharedwithstates.
HOWWILLTHISEXECUTIVEORDERBEENFORCED?
ThisexecutiveorderwillprimarilybeenforcedbytheSecretaryof HomelandSecurityandthePostmasterGeneral.
TheorderdirectstheSecretaryofHomelandSecuritytocreatethe infrastructurenecessarytodevelopaStateCitizenshipListwithin60days ofthisorder’sissuance.
TheorderrequestsforthelisttocontainUScitizenswhowillbeatleast 18yearsofagebeforethenextfederalelectionandmaintaina residencyinthestate.ItalsoauthorizestheDepartmentofHomeland Securitytopullinformationfromfederalcitizenshipandnaturalization records,theSocialSecurityAdministration,andotherrelevantfederal databases.
TheorderdirectstheSecretaryofHomelandSecuritytosendtheState CitizenshipListtothechiefelectionofficialofeachstateatleast60days beforeascheduledfederalelection.
TheorderinstructstheSecretaryofHomelandSecuritytocreatea processforindividualstoaccesstheirrecordstoupdateorcorrectthem inadvanceofelections,andstateofficialstorecommendmodifications totheStateCitizenshipList.
Theorderclarifiesthatanindividual’sinclusionontheStateCitizenship Listdoesnotguaranteetheireligibilityforvoterregistration,whichis subjecttostatelaw.
TheorderinstructsthePostmasterGeneraltooutlinenewprovisionsfor mail-inballotswithin60daysofthisorder’sissuance,including:
ProhibitingtheUSPSfromtransmittingmail-inorabsenteeballots fromanyindividualunlessthoseindividualshavebeenenrolledonthe StateCitizenshipList
ProvidingeachstatewithaMail-InandAbsenteeParticipationListwith uniqueidentifiersforeachperson’sballot
FacilitatingcoordinationbetweentheUSPSOfficeofInspectorGeneral andtheDepartmentofJusticeforinvestigationofsuspectedunlawful useofthemailinvolvingfederalelectionmaterials.
HOWWILLTHISEXECUTIVEORDERBEENFORCED?
TheorderdirectstheAttorneyGeneral(AG)toprioritizeprosecuting electionofficialswhoissueballots,orassistintheprinting,production, shipment,ordistributionofballotstoindividualswhoareineligibletovote infederalelections.
Theorderdirectsstatesandmunicipalitiestopreserveelectionrecords, excludingcastballots,thatprovevoterparticipationinafederalelection forafive-yearperiod.
TheorderdirectsallCabinetSecretariesandagencyheadstodeter noncompliancewiththepoliciesoutlinedinthisorderbywithholding federalfundsfromnoncompliantjurisdictionsorreferringoffenderstothe DepartmentofJusticeforconsiderationoflegalrepercussions.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
Thisexecutiveorderseekstoaddresselectionfraudandnon-citizen voting;however,votinghasbeenillegalfornon-citizensinallfifty statessince1924.In1993,CongresspassedTheNationalVoter RegistrationAct,whichrequiredindividualsregisteringtovoteinthe UnitedStatestoattestthattheyareaU.S.citizenorfacethepenaltyof perjury,and,in1996,itenactedlegislationtomakenon-citizenvotinga federalcrime.Thepenaltyforregisteringtovoteasanon-citizenisupto fiveyearsinfederalprison,andnon-citizensfoundguiltyofvotingin federalelectionscanfacemoreseriousconsequences,including deportation.TheTrumpAdministrationarguesthatthisorderis necessarytoprotectAmericanelectionsfromforeigninterference, butitwilllikelymakevotingmoredifficultforBlackAmericansandother vulnerablepopulations.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
Thisexecutiveordergivesthefederalgovernmenttheauthorityto determinewhoiseligibletosubmitmail-inandabsenteeballots,whichis anunprecedentedshiftinelectionadministration.Article1ofthe Constitutiongivesstatestheauthoritytoadministerelections,andstates havedifferentcriteriaforelectioneligibility.Forexample,over20states havelawsthatrestrictpeoplewithcriminalconvictionsfromvoting,and manystatesallowseniorsandpeoplewithdocumenteddisabilitiesto votebymail.
U.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServiceshasdevelopedatoolcalled SAVEtoverifycitizenshipstatus,assessvotereligibilityanddetermine eligibilityforfederalbenefits.Twenty-threestateshaveoptedintothe SAVEtoolandnearly200millionnameswereenteredintothesystemin 2025,butnotwithoutincident.InDecember2025,NPRreportedthat severalpeoplewereincorrectlyflaggedasnon-citizensandhadtheir voterregistrationcancelledinerror.Thisexecutiveordercouldleadto moreinaccuraciesandpreventpeoplefrombeingabletovoteinthe 2026midtermelections.OneinthreeBlackhouseholdslackahigh-speed homeinternetconnection,andthisorderforcesBlackAmericanstogo onlineandcheckiftheirnamesappearontheStateCitizenshipandMailInBallotLists,creatingunnecessaryhurdlestopreventnon-citizenvoting, anextremelyrarephenomenon.
Thisexecutiveorderwillhaverepercussionsforvotingaccessibility.States arenotrequiredtopreemptivelynotifypeoplewhoarenotonthelists, whichcouldmeanpeoplewillnotrealizetheyareineligibletosubmita mail-inballotuntilaftertheelectionisover.Becauseofthisorder,voters withdisabilitiesandoldervoterswhodonotdrivemayhavetotakepublic transportationtovotein-persontoensurethattheirballotiscounted.
Thisorderwillalsodisenfranchisecollegestudents,whomayhaveto leaveschoolandreturntotheirhometowntoensurethattheirvoteis tabulated.Out-of-statecollegestudentswhowishtovoteintheircollege townmayalsofacedisenfranchisement,becausetheirnameisnotlikely toappearontheStateCitizenshipListinthenewarea.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
Thisorderalsoincreasestheburdenfornewlymarriedwomenwhochange theirnameandtransgenderpeople,whoseidentitymaynotmatchthe nameonthelist.Thisnewrequirementwillcreatebarrierstoelectoral participationforthemorethan5millionmarriedBlackwomenintheUnited States.Theorderdesignatesapointofcontactforpeopletosubmit changestothelistsbutdoesnotguaranteethatthelistswillbeupdated priortoElectionDay.ThisissignificantbecauseBlackwomenhavebeenone ofthemostconsistentvotingblocsinthecountry,andthis ordercouldsuppressturnout.
Thisordercreatesadditionalscrutinyforpollworkers,whocouldnowface legalrepercussionsforallowingnon-citizenstovote.Afterthe2020election andJanuary6thInsurrection,BlackpollworkersShayeMossandRuby Freemanfacedspuriouselectionfraudcharges.Thechargeswere dismissed,butstillspawnedfearthatmadeitdifficulttorecruitpollworkers duringthenextelectioncycle.Whiletheorderdoesnotcompelelection officialstocross-referencetheStateCitizenshipListwiththeirvoterrolls, somejurisdictionsmaydosotoavoidcriminalliabilityanddisenfranchise eligiblevotersintheprocess.
TheCongressionalBlackCaucus(CBC)hasaffirmedtherighttovoteand advancedvotingrightslegislationsinceitsinceptionin1971.Rep.YvetteD. Clarke,CBCChair,issuedthefollowingstatementonbehalfofthecaucus inresponsetothisexecutiveorder.
“TheexecutiveordersignedbyPresidentTrumpisanunlawfuland unconstitutionalattempttodictatewhointhiscountryisallowedto vote.ThissweepingorderwouldallowtheTrumpAdministrationto unilaterallydeterminevotereligibility,intimidatestateelectionofficials throughpoliticallymotivatedinvestigations,andjeopardizetheprivacy ofmillionsoflaw-abidingAmericans.ItwouldalsodisenfranchiseBlack andotherminorityvoters,women,youngpeople,individualswith disabilities,andolderAmericans.[…]Thereisnoscenarioinwhichthis unlawful,anti-democratic,andauthoritarianexecutiveorderwillnotgo unchallengedtothefullestextentofthelaw.”FullStatement