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US judge rules federal noncitizen voting law unconstitutional
A U.S. District Judge in Miami, David Leibowitz, has ruled that a federal law criminalizing voting by noncitizens is unconstitutional. The ruling dismissed a case against Chelsea Cox, a Jamaican national residing in Florida, who was charged with illegally voting in the 2020 presidential election.
Judge Leibowitz determined that under the U.S. Constitution, the authority to set voter qualifications resides with individual states rather than Congress. He noted that while states like Florida have the power to prosecute such conduct, the Department of Justice lacks the constitutional authority to enforce a federal ban on noncitizen voting.
The decision marks a significant setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on alleged noncitizen election fraud. While the ruling applies specifically to Cox’s case and is not binding on other jurisdictions, it could influence approximately 45 similar pending cases nationwide. Prosecutors alleged that Cox used a fraudulent birth certificate from the U.S. Virgin Islands to register to vote in 2012 and cast ballots in subsequent federal elections.
Entities
Chelsea Cox · David Leibowitz · Department of Justice · Donald Trump · Florida
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 8 SOURCES] Chelsea Cox used a fraudulent birth certificate from the US Virgin Islands to obtain a Florida driver’s license and register to vote. bahamasspectator.com · thelibertydaily.com · trinidadtribune.com · barbadosgazette.com · srnnews.com · +3 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] Approximately 45 similar noncitizen voting cases remain pending nationwide. bahamasspectator.com · www.amren.com · pjmedia.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Department of Justice has charged at least 60 people with noncitizen voting since January 2025. www.amren.com · pjmedia.com · nypost.com
- [● 8 SOURCES] The federal law criminalizing noncitizen voting is unconstitutional because voter qualification authority belongs to the states. bahamasspectator.com · thelibertydaily.com · trinidadtribune.com · barbadosgazette.com · srnnews.com · +3 more