A presidential directive requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections and tightening the rules for mail ballots — imposed by executive order rather than an act of Congress.
Including the June 25 order striking down the core of the EO. The defense’s two gains were partial. The case now continues on appeal.
Twenty-four governments sue in Boston to stop the order — and both sides agree to fast-track straight to the decisive motions.
California, Massachusetts, and 22 other governments file suit in Boston challenging the President’s executive order on voter registration and mail ballots. Judge Talwani takes the case; summonses go out to Trump, DOJ, DHS, SSA, USPS, and Commerce.
The parties jointly request — and receive — a dispositive-motion schedule, with a hearing set for June 2. No preliminary-injunction detour: everyone is heading straight for a final ruling.
The defense tried to move the case to Washington, D.C. — denied, the first significant ruling. The twelve GOP states sought a seat at the table, and the states asked the court to end the case outright.
All fourteen federal defendants move to transfer the case out of Boston and into the District of Columbia, where related challenges to the same order were already pending.
Alabama, Florida, Texas, and nine more states move to intervene on the defense side. The court also links this case with League of Women Voters of Massachusetts v. Trump for briefing and hearing — the two now share one courtroom schedule.
The states ask the court to declare the order unlawful and permanently enjoin it without trial, backed by 26 declarations from state and local election officials describing the disruption it would cause.
Judge Talwani rules the defense failed to show that transfer to D.C. serves the interests of justice. Transfer denied — the first significant ruling goes to the states.
Complete briefing on whether the order is lawful, with four amicus briefs on both sides. The twelve GOP states are denied a formal seat — for now — and appeal.
Intervention is denied here (amici only in this case, though they’re full intervenors in the companion case) — a win for the plaintiff states at this stage. The twelve states immediately appeal to the First Circuit — No. 26-1506.
The defense answers the summary-judgment motion with a motion to dismiss, supported by declarations from USCIS, SSA, and USPS officials. The merits fight is fully joined.
The Society for the Rule of Law, local election officials, the 12 GOP states, and FAIR all file briefs on both sides. One pro-se brief is struck for filing without permission (Doc 171).
The states file their combined opposition to the motion to dismiss and reply in support of their own summary-judgment motion; the defense files its final word and points to DSCC v. Trump, a related challenge decided in D.D.C. days earlier. Everything is now before the judge.
Two hours before Judge Talwani in both consolidated cases — where she signals, from the bench, that the defense’s answer on the merits was thin.
Both consolidated cases are called and argued. From the bench, the court signals the defense’s merits response was limited.
A seesaw week: the twelve states are let in (defense), post-November claims dismissed (defense) — then the core of the order is struck down, swinging the case decisively to the states.
After the hearing, the judge vacates her earlier denial and grants permissive intervention. The twelve states’ amicus brief becomes a full opposition to summary judgment; their appeal over intervention becomes moot.
Claims about elections after Nov 3, 2026 are dismissed without prejudice as unripe — but the case fully survives for the November 2026 midterms and everything earlier. Partial setback for the states; the core dispute continues. This order also decides the defense’s May 7 motion to dismiss — granted as to post-November claims, denied otherwise.
The court declares §2 (proof of citizenship) and §3 (mail ballots) of the order void as beyond the President’s authority and an unconstitutional separation-of-powers violation; §5 is merely advisory. Every federal defendant except the President is enjoined in plaintiff states for the 2026 midterms, with a 7-day clock to notify staff and reverse implementation. After two defense gains, this swings the case decisively toward the states.
Final judgment for the states; both stays denied. But both defense camps have appealed — the case now lives at the First Circuit, with the midterms ten weeks out.
Federal defendants appeal (No. 26-1774) and move to stay; the 12 intervening states do the same (No. 26-1779). Meanwhile the required status report shows DOJ, DHS, SSA, Commerce, and USPS employees were notified — including a mandatory USPS stand-up talk.
Judge Talwani enters final judgment and denies both stay motions — neither side showed grounds to pause the injunction. A 7-day administrative stay allows renewal before the First Circuit. The district court phase ends with the states ahead on the merits.
The First Circuit enters its order on the federal defendants’ and intervening states’ appeals. The case now lives at the appellate level, alongside related challenges in other circuits.
The Society for the Rule of Law moves to file a supplemental amicus brief. Ten weeks until the midterms; the appeal of the June 25 injunction is now the fight that matters.