Effort to remove non-citizens from state's voter rolls is stopped by Trump-appointed judge

A judge in Alabama has put a stop to an effort to remove non-citizens from the state's voter rolls. 

The judge, according to the Daily Caller, is U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco of the Northern District of Alabama.

The outlet reports that Manasco is an appointee of former President Donald Trump. Trump nominated the judge for this federal court position in May 2020.

Manasco released her decision in the case on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024.

The details

Back in August 2024, Wes Allen, Alabama's Secretary Of State, announced that his office had discovered "3,251 individuals who are registered to vote in Alabama who have been issued noncitizen identification numbers by the Department of Homeland Security."

In response, Allen had county officials remove these non-citizens from voter roles.

Then, the Biden-Harris administration's Department of Justice (DOJ) brought a lawsuit against Allen and Alabama claiming that the removal of these non-citizens from voter rolls violated the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 because it was removing voters within 90 days of a federal election.

Manasco agreed. She found that the removal effort incorrectly put legally registered voters on a list of possible illegal voters.

Accordingly, Allen has now been ordered to stop the removal process until after the election, and he has indicated that he will follow the judge's order.

The Biden-Harris DOJ celebrates

Now, the Biden-Harris administration's DOJ is celebrating Manasco's ruling.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has put out a statement, saying, "This action sends a clear message that the Justice Department will work to ensure that the rights of eligible voters are protected."

Clarke added:

The National Voter Registration Act’s 90-day Quiet Period Provision is an important safeguard to prevent erroneous eleventh-hour efforts that stand to disenfranchise eligible voters. The Justice Department remains steadfast in our resolve to protect voters from unlawful removal from the registration rolls and to ensure that states comply with the mandate of federal law.

Allen, for his part, has also released a statement on the matter.

He said:

Because this litigation is still ongoing, I am limited in my ability to comment. Earlier today, the federal court issued a preliminary injunction order. I will comply with the order of the federal court. I have a constitutional duty to ensure that only eligible American citizens are voting in our elections. State and federal laws are clear that only eligible American citizens can vote in our elections. Today’s order does not change that.