Trump Appeals to Supreme Court Over Mail-In Voting Order

The administration of Donald Trump has petitioned the Supreme Court of the United States to lift lower-court injunctions blocking a March 31 executive order titled "Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections." The order directs the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to compile federal citizenship lists, requiring the United States Postal Service to deliver mail-in ballots only to verified individuals on those lists. It further mandates secure envelopes with unique barcodes and threatens to withhold federal funding from non-compliant states.

On July 25, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a June 25 ruling by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani that blocked the order in 23 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia. The court ruled that the order exceeded executive authority and could disenfranchise eligible voters. Conversely, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit refused to block the order on July 28, stating that legal challenges were premature since implementing rules had not yet been finalized.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued the injunctions are "indefensible" and may make the order impossible to implement before the November 3 midterm elections. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has requested a response from the plaintiff states by August 3. Separately, the American Postal Workers Union opposes the measure, though its leadership reports that IT staff are already building the necessary eligibility portals. This legal battle coincides with a presidential push for the SAVE America Act, which would mandate proof of citizenship for voting.