The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was barred by a federal judge from conducting voting-related field operations through Election Day that involve known U.S. citizens in nine states, Bloomberg Law reported on October 21.

Source: Bloomberg Law

Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California prohibited the government from conducting such operations through Nov. 3 in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin, Bloomberg Law reported.

Source: Bloomberg Law

Martínez-Olguín found that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in their claim that the government ran afoul of a Voting Rights Act ban on intimidating voter assistance and mobilization, according to Bloomberg Law. The preliminary injunction was granted in favour of the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United, Raw Story reported, according to court records.

Source: Raw Story (via News24)

9States covered by the injunction
Nov. 3Election Day — order runs through then
2Plaintiff unions: California Nurses Association, National Nurses United

Raw Story reported the ruling describes the department's “Unlawful Voter Initiative” in blunt terms, finding that agents work from target lists the court characterized as “voluminous and unreliable,” and that the order blocks the agency from continuing certain questioning practices while the case proceeds.

Source: Raw Story (via News24)

The case grows out of the door-to-door visits by armed, uniformed Homeland Security Investigations agents reported earlier this month, in which residents in several states were asked about immigration status and voter registration. DHS has said the effort is aimed at rooting out unlawful voting; the unions argued the methods could deter people from helping others register or vote. Awaaz Punjab reported the CBS investigation into those visits separately.

What is solid

  • A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction barring DHS voting-related field operations involving known U.S. citizens in nine named states through Nov. 3, per Bloomberg Law and Raw Story.
  • The judge found plaintiffs likely to succeed on a Voting Rights Act intimidation claim, per both reports.
  • Plaintiffs are the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United, per Raw Story.

What is only claimed

  • Whether the underlying DHS initiative violates the law is not finally decided — a preliminary injunction is a likelihood finding, not a final ruling, and the case continues.
  • DHS's position, as reported in earlier coverage, is that the operations target unlawful voting; the department had not issued a response to the injunction in either Oct. 21 report.