Federal judge blocks Trump DOJ threats against election workers ahead of 2026 midterms

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from threatening election workers with criminal prosecution over ballots linked to suspected noncitizens. The ruling, which found the administration likely violated the Voting Rights Act’s prohibition against voter intimidation, comes just days before the midterm elections. The order prevents federal officials from coercing or intimidating election workers into halting ballot processing based on allegations of ineligible voters.

• A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from threatening election workers.
• The administration was allegedly threatening prosecution for processing ballots tied to suspected noncitizens.
• The judge found these actions likely violated the Voting Rights Act’s prohibition against voter intimidation.
• The order prevents federal officials from demanding election officials remove voters from rolls or refuse to count their ballots based on these allegations.
• The lawsuit was brought by labor unions and civil rights organizations.
• Separately, a federal appeals court ruled against the Trump administration’s request to set aside mail-in ballots of potential noncitizens.