Trump’s Voter Citizenship Plan Meets Legal Hurdles Across States/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Republican-led efforts to require proof of citizenship for voting struggle to gain traction. Trump’s executive order and state bills face court and legislative setbacks. Critics say the measures risk disenfranchising eligible American voters.
Citizenship Voting Laws: Quick Looks
- Trump’s Executive Order Blocked: A federal judge halted the president’s order mandating proof of citizenship to vote.
- Legislation Stalls in States: Texas, Florida, Missouri, and Utah have failed to pass major citizenship verification bills.
- Texas Bill Falls Apart: Despite GOP backing, Texas’ sweeping plan failed to reach a vote in the House.
- Proof Already Legally Required: Voting as a noncitizen is already illegal and punishable by felony charges.
- Concerns Over Disenfranchisement: Critics warn that documentation hurdles could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters.
- Rare Cases of Noncitizen Voting: Studies show voter fraud by noncitizens is exceedingly rare and often unintentional.
- Mixed State Responses: Wyoming passed a bill, but many other Republican states have shelved or postponed similar legislation.
- Future Legislation Likely: Lawmakers in Missouri and other states plan to reintroduce proposals in 2026.
Trump’s Voter Citizenship Plan Meets Legal Hurdles Across States
Deep Look
Republican Push for Voter Citizenship Proof Faces Resistance in Courts and Statehouses
Efforts by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans to mandate proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration have run into widespread resistance — both in the courts and across the states.
Trump’s executive order requiring documentary evidence of citizenship for federal elections was blocked by a federal judge, halting immediate implementation. At the same time, proposed federal legislation aligned with the order lacks enough support in the Senate, leaving the initiative in limbo.
Meanwhile, state-level attempts — even in GOP-controlled legislatures — have largely failed to become law.
Texas Bill Collapses Despite GOP Backing
In Texas, a high-profile bill requiring proof of citizenship not only for new voter registrations but also for the state’s 18.6 million existing voters collapsed in the final days of the legislative session. Despite being co-sponsored by every Republican state senator, it never reached a House vote.
“The bill authors failed spectacularly to explain how this would be implemented without burdening voters,” said Anthony Gutierrez of Common Cause Texas.
Critics warned that the proposal could disenfranchise eligible voters, particularly women who’ve changed their names, low-income residents lacking passports or birth certificates, and elderly individuals without access to original documentation.
Rare Noncitizen Voting, Major Policy Shift
Although noncitizen voting is already illegal and punishable by felony — potentially even leading to deportation — Trump and allies argue that requiring proof of citizenship would boost public trust in elections.
However, studies consistently show that noncitizen voting is extremely rare and usually the result of confusion, not fraud. A Kansas audit, for example, found nearly all of 30,000 blocked registrants under a similar law were eligible U.S. citizens.
Legislation Falters in Multiple Republican States
Despite a tripling of citizenship-related proposals nationwide since 2023, according to the Voting Rights Lab, most efforts have stalled or died. Highlights include:
- Wyoming: Successfully passed a bill
- Missouri: Proposal never came to a vote
- Florida: Bill failed to move out of committee
- Utah: Focused instead on other voting reforms like requiring opt-in for mail voting
“We just ran out of time,” said Missouri GOP Senator Ben Brown, who plans to revive the proposal in 2026.
Legal Challenges and Data Issues
In Arizona, where a citizenship law passed earlier, an audit revealed flawed data handling that undermined the tracking of citizenship status. In Kansas, the law was struck down in court after being enforced for three years. It blocked thousands of legitimate voters from registering.
In New Hampshire, where a similar law was enacted, confusion about last names (particularly among married women) became a flashpoint in local elections earlier this year.
Florida Bill Would Delay Registrations
A Florida proposal that failed to gain traction would have delayed voter registration until state officials confirmed citizenship using a variety of sources — such as existing government databases or applicant-provided documents.
“This bill fully answers the president’s call,” said Florida State Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, who sponsored the measure.
The bill would also have required proof even for routine updates like changing an address or party affiliation.
Voting Rights Advocates Push Back
Advocacy groups and policy experts have been vocal in opposing the proposed changes. They argue that requiring physical documentation like birth certificates or passports risks disenfranchising vulnerable populations, including natural-born citizens.
“Federal employees like air traffic controllers and food safety inspectors shouldn’t have to write political loyalty statements,” said Jenny Mattingley of the Partnership for Public Service, referencing similar language in federal hiring proposals.
Trump’s Push Amid Election Concerns
President Trump has frequently repeated false claims about widespread noncitizen voting. He made proof of citizenship a central part of his 2024 campaign platform, framing it as a “commonsense protection” against fraud.
But with legal challenges mounting and legislative support mixed, the path forward appears uncertain.
More Bills Likely in 2026
Despite setbacks, GOP lawmakers in several states — including Missouri, Ohio, and Florida — have signaled they will reintroduce citizenship verification bills next year.
They may also pivot toward more targeted approaches, such as verifying citizenship during DMV visits or during voter roll audits, rather than requiring documentation upfront from all registrants.
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