OMG!! The Administration Attempted to SUPPRESS Newly Naturalized Citizens from Registering to Vote! The Court Just Blocked It
by Anne P. Mitchell, Esq. - attorney, law professor emeritus, and author of Federal law
I just discovered this *disgusting* action on the part of the administration - I don't know *why* nobody has covered it, because to me it is a Very Big Deal.
The Trump administration BANNED non-profit organizations from welcoming newly-minted citizens, fresh out of their naturalization ceremonies, by helping them register to vote!!
The League of Women Voters, along with other organizations throughout the U.S., have for *decades* attended naturalization ceremonies and welcomed the new U.S. citizens immediately following their naturalization ceremonies, providing them with information along the lines of "Congratulations! Now that you are a U.S. citizen you get to vote! We can help you get registered to vote right here, right now!"
And up until this administration, it was the policy of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to *expressly* be ok with it. It was considered that they were *assisting* USCIS with getting people registered.
In fact, a 2011 USCIS policy explicitly states that:
"Non-governmental organizations may distribute and collect voter registration applications for an Election Official to review and officially register the individual to vote"
All that changed (of course it did) when Trump II happened (of course that was when).
In August 2025 USCIS issued a *new* policy. "A new policy alert" says the Court "effectively banning all NGOs from providing voter registration services at administrative naturalization ceremonies."
This was, USCIS claims, pursuant to a couple of Trump's executive disorders (I know what I said), including the one titled "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections".
Well, the League of Women Voters, et al, were *not* having any of this! In November they filed a lawsuit, and this Monday the Court issued a stay of that new USCIS policy, making clear that the policy violates the First Amendment, the Fifth Amendment, *and* the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), and that non-profit organizations are absolutely free to tell new U.S. citizens how to register to vote, and to assist them in doing so to the extent permitted by law!
Judge Adam Ableson's 76-page opinion and order, included for Notes from the Front members, is not only awesome, but it is also a very well-formatted order, it has a clickable ToC so you can go right to any section of the order.
This opinion and order is also a *wonderful* example of why you plead everything but the kitchen sink (and sometimes even the kitchen sink - see for example "In-Sink-Erator Manufacturing Co. v. Waste King Corp" :~D ). If you read just the section on the First Amendment violations the Plaintiffs claim, you will see the Court systematically *rejecting* each one until it gets to a First Amendment claim that it thinks has legs. So thank goodness the Plaintiffs threw *all* of that legal spaghetti against the Court's wall!
This administration may try to pull some slimy stuff, but fortunately *we've* got the smart lawyers. ;~)
Notes from the Front members: Judge Ableson's most excellent opinion and order are in your inbox now.
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P.S. If you actually read all the way to the bottom please leave a sentence in a comment that includes the word "welcome". It will show me that my efforts aren't in vain and that people actually *do* read these things, and it will drive those who just skim crazy wondering just why everyone is welcoming something! ;~)