DateIssued:March25,2025
Topic:VotingRights,CivilRights,Immigration
WHATDOESTHISEXECUTIVEORDERDO?
Thisexecutiveordermandatesthatprospectivevotersprovide documentaryproofofcitizenshipinordertobeeligibletovote.
TheorderexcludesstudentandemployeeIDsfromeligibilityforvoter registrationandcreatescomplicationsforpeoplewhodonothave passportsorhavechangedtheirnamesfromwhatappearsontheir birthcertificate,includingmarriedwomenandtransgenderpeople.
Theorderauthorizesafederalreviewofvoterregistrationlistsinall50 statesandallowsstateandlocalofficialstoaccessfederalimmigration databasesinordertoverifythecitizenshipoftheirvoters.
Theorderalsocompelstheheadsofallagenciesthatoverseefederal voterregistrationtoassesscitizenshipbeforedistributingvoter registrationformstopeoplereceivingpublicassistance,likeMedicaid andSupplementalNutritionAssistanceProgram(SNAP)beneficiaries.
TheorderseekstowithholdfundingandgrantsfromtheDepartmentof Justice(DOJ)andtheElectionAssistanceCommission(EAC)fromstates thatdonotcomplywiththeorder.
HOWWILLTHISEXECUTIVEORDERBEENFORCED?
ThisexecutiveorderinstructstheEACtoamendthenationalmailvoter registrationformtorequiredocumentaryproofofcitizenshipandID verificationbyastateorlocalelectionofficial.Theorderalsoinstructsthe commissiontore-certifyvotingequipmentinaccordancewiththisorder andnewstandardsofelectionintegrity.
TheorderalsoinstructstheEACto“ceaseprovidingfederalfundstostates thatdonotcomply”withthisorderbyrequiringdocumentaryproofofU.S. citizenshiponthenationalmailvoterregistrationform.
TheorderdirectstheSecretaryofDefensetorequireproofofU.S.citizenship andstateeligibilityformilitarypersonnelthatwanttovotewhileserving overseas.
TheorderinstructstheAttorneyGeneraltotakelegalactionagainststates thatcountabsenteeormail-inballotsreceivedafterElectionDayinthefinal tabulationofvotesforfederalraces.
TheordertaskstheDepartmentofGovernmentEfficiency(DOGE) AdministratorandtheDepartmentofHomelandSecuritywithcrossreferencingstatevoterrollswithfederalimmigrationdatabases.Theorder permitsthemtosubpoenastaterecordsinordertocomplywiththis mandate.
TheorderrequirestheSecretaryofHomelandSecuritytosendareportof foreignnationalswhohaveregisteredorvotedinanyelectioninany jurisdictiontotheAttorneyGeneralandtorelevantstateandlocalofficials within90daysoftheorder.TheorderalsoinstructstheAttorneyGeneralto coordinatewithstateattorneysgeneraltoassistwiththisreviewand prosecuteanynon-citizenswhohavevotedintheirjurisdictions.
TheorderdirectstheSecretariesofStateandHomelandSecurityandthe SocialSecurityCommissionertogivestateandlocalofficialsfreeaccessto Federaldatabasesinordertoverifythecitizenshipstatusofcurrentand prospectivevoters.
TheorderinstructstheAttorneyGeneraltoestablishinformation-sharing agreementswithstate-levelelectionofficialstoensurethattheDOJisaware ofsuspectedviolationsofstateandfederalelectionlaws.Ifstatesare unwillingtoentertheseagreements,theorderadvisestheAttorneyGeneral to“prioritizeenforcementofFederalelectionintegritylaws”inthosestates andto“reviewforpotentialwithholdingofgrantsandotherfunds,”alluding todenyingresourcestostatesthatdeclinetoparticipateintheinformation sharingagreements.
TheorderrequirestheAttorneyGeneralandtheSecretaryofHomeland Securitytotakeallactionsnecessarytopreventnon-citizens'involvementin theadministrationoffederalelections,includingbyaccessingelection equipmentorballots.TheorderalsoaskstheAttorneyGeneraltoinvestigate instancesofforeignnationalscontributingordonatingtoU.S.elections.
TheordercompelstheU.S.AttorneyGeneralandtheEACtoauditstatesto ensurethattheirvoterregistrationlistsareincompliancewiththeNational VoterRegistrationActandtheHelpAmericaVoteAct.Theorderinstructsthe EACtoreportanyviolationsoffederallawtotheDOJforappropriate enforcementaction.
TheordercompelstheSecretaryofHomelandSecurityandtheEACtoreview andreportonthesecurityofallelectronicsystemsusedinthevoter registrationandvotingprocess.
TheorderdirectstheSecretaryofHomelandSecurityandtheAdministrator oftheFederalEmergencyManagementAgency(FEMA)toconsider allocatingfundstostateandlocalelectionofficersthroughHomeland SecurityGrantPrograms.Theorderasksthemto“heavilyprioritize” compliancewithnewEACvotingsystemguidelinesandreceive accreditationfromVotingSystemTestLabswhendispersingfunds.
TheorderdemandsthatagenciesceaseworkinrelationtoExecutiveOrder #14019(PromotingAccesstoVoting),whichPresidentTrumprescindedon January20,2025.Theorder,whichhadbeensignedbyPresidentJoeBiden onMarch7,2021,includedprovisionsonequalaccessforvoterswith disabilities,active-dutymilitarymembers,andformerlyincarceratedpeople.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
Votinghasbeenillegalfornon-citizensinallfiftystatessince1924,and,in 1996,Congressenactedlegislationthatmadeitafederalcrime.The penaltyforregisteringtovoteasanon-citizenisuptofiveyearsinfederal prison.Non-citizensfoundguiltyofvotinginU.S.electionscanfacemore seriousconsequences,includingdeportation.Thisexecutiveorderadds documentaryproofofcitizenshipasarequirementforvotereligibility.The TrumpAdministrationarguesthatthisorderisnecessarytoprotect Americanelectionsfromforeigninterference,butitwilllikelymakevoting moredifficultforthemostvulnerablepopulations.
In2024,only56%ofU.S.adultshadaREALID.ToobtainaREALID,youmust traveltoaDepartmentofMotorVehicles(DMV)officewithtwoformsof proofofresidenceandlawfulstatus.GoingtotheDMVislaboriousfor voterswithoutaccesstoreliabletransportation,andthisorderwillcreate additionalhurdlesforthem.TheREALIDrequirementsalsocreate logisticalchallengesformarriedwomen.Eligibledocumentsincludea birthcertificateorSocialSecuritycard,documentsunusableforwomen whochangedtheirnamesaftergettingmarried.Thisnewrequirementwill createbarrierstoelectoralparticipationforthemorethan5million marriedBlackwomenintheUnitedStates.Thisissignificantbecause Blackwomenhavebeenoneofthemostconsistentvotingblocsinthe country,andthisordercouldsuppressturnout.Theorderalsocreates complicationsfortransgenderpeople,whomaystruggletoobtain identificationthathastheirpreferredname.
Voterscanalsousepassportstoprovetheircitizenship,butonly39%of BlackpeoplelivingintheSouthhavepassports.Obtainingapassportisa lengthyandexpensiveprocess,asthecostisover$150andcantake monthstoarrive.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
Theorderalsomakesitmoredifficultformilitarypersonneltovote.29%of active-dutymenand17%ofactive-dutywomeninthemilitaryareBlack. Requiringproofofcitizenshipcomplicatestheelectoralprocessfor membersofthearmedforceswhoareworkingoverseastoprotectthe UnitedStates.
Theprovisionoftheorderthattightensdeadlinesformail-inballotswill alsocreatesignificantbarriersforBlackcommunitiestovote.Inthe2024 electioncycle,twentystatesacceptedmail-inballotsthatarrivedafter ElectionDay,includingTexasandMaryland,whichhaveover6million Blackresidentscombined.Thisorderencouragestheattorneygeneralto take“enforcementaction”againststateswhoparticipateinthatpractice, whichcouldleadtothedisqualificationofthousandsofvotes.Becauseof thisorder,voterswithdisabilitiesandoldervoterswhodonotdrivemay havetotakepublictransportationtovotein-personinordertoensure thattheirballotiscounted.Ruralvotersmayhavetotaketimeoffworkto drivetoapollingplacebecausetheirmailsystemisnotreliable.College studentsmayhavetoleaveschoolandreturntotheirhometownto ensurethattheirvoteistabulated.
Theorderalsostipulatesthatsocialserviceprofessionalsmustvetpublic assistanceenrollees’citizenshipbeforeprovidingthemwithavoter registrationform,whichwilldisproportionatelyimpactBlackcommunities. WhileBlackpeoplecompriseabout13%oftheU.S.population,21%of MedicaidandCHIPenrolleesandabout27%ofadultandchildSNAP recipientsareBlack.Applicantsforpublicassistancealreadyhaveto providenumerousdocumentstoprovetheireligibilityforthoseservices; addinganadditionallayertothatprocessincreasestheirburden.
TheCongressionalBlackCaucus(CBC)hasadvocatedfortherighttovote sinceitsinception.OnMarch26,2025,Rep.YvetteD.Clarke,ChairoftheCBC, issuedthefollowingstatementonbehalfoftheCaucusinresponsetothis executiveorder:
“DonaldTrumpandextremeMAGARepublicanshavelosttheirdamnminds. PresidentTrumpsignedanexecutiveordertotakeawaypowerfromthe statesandchangehowfederalelectionsareadministeredacrossthe country.Thisexecutiveorder,ifenacted,couldstopmillionsofeligible Americansfromexercisingtheirrighttovoteforsimplyfailingtomeetoverly strictvoterIDrequirementsorforchoosingtovotebymail.Heiseven threateningtowithholdcriticallyneededelectionadministrationfunding fromstatesthatdonotcomplywithhisillegaldemands.[…]Thereisno worldorscenarioinwhichthisunlawful,anti-election,anddictatorial executiveorderisn’tchallengedthoroughlyintheCourts.Votingrightshas alwaysbeentheCBC’snorthstar.Therighttovoteistherightfromwhichall otherrightsflow.Wewillneveryieldaninchinthefighttoprotectthesacred franchise.”FullStatement
Rep.TerriSewellissuedthefollowingstatementinresponsetothisexecutive order:
“PresidentTrump’sexecutiveordertoerodevotingrightsandgiveElonMusk accesstotheAmericanpeople’spersonalvoterinformationisaclearpower grabintendedtodisenfranchiseandintimidatevoters.Trumpisonceagain showingthathehasnoregardfortheU.S.Constitution,theruleoflaw,orthe fundamentalprinciplethatallAmericans,regardlessoftheirrace,creed,or color,havearighttohavetheirvoiceheardattheballotbox.Tobeclear,this executiveorderhasnothingtodowithprotectingtheintegrityofour elections.Thesearetheactionsofawannabedictator,andwewillnotstand byasheattemptstodismantlethecoreprinciplesofourdemocracy!The Americanpeople’srighttovoteissacred,andIwillcontinuethefighttopass H.R.14,theJohnR.LewisVotingRightsAdvancementAct,inordertorestore thefullprotectionsoftheVotingRightsActandprotecttheAmericanpeople fromtheauthoritarianactionsoftheTrumpAdministration.”
ThreeweeksbeforetheWhiteHouseissuedthisexecutiveorder,Rep.Sewell, ChairoftheCongressionalBlackCaucusFoundationBoardofDirectors, introducedtheJohnR.LewisVotingRightsAdvancementAct,whichmovesto addressvotersuppressionandincreaseaccesstotheballotboxforall Americans.ThebillwascosponsoredbyeveryHouseDemocrat,including58 CBCMembers.