US federal judges block Trump's mail‑in voting rule

Federal judges in Boston ruled that President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at tightening mail‑in voting was unconstitutional. Judge Denise Casper found that the Constitution entrusts election‑rule authority to the states and Congress, not the president, and permanently blocked most of the order, which would have required voters to present proof of citizenship and dismissed ballots received after Election Day even if mailed on time.

Judge Indira Talwani issued a similar injunction, declaring key provisions of the order illegal and ordering the administration to report compliance steps. The rule threatened to withhold federal funds from states that did not adopt the new requirements, prompting criticism that it targeted rare cases of non‑citizen voting and could suppress turnout.

The decisions represent another legal setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape election procedures ahead of the November congressional elections.