WASHINGTON, Oct 31 — A US federal judge temporarily blocked on Friday the Justice Department from threatening state and local election officials with criminal prosecution if they fail to comply with its directives on processing ballots.
The order by Judge Trina Thompson in the Northern District of California deals a setback to Trump administration efforts to restrict voting by people it says might not be US citizens in the November 3 midterm elections.
The harshly worded temporary restraining order was issued in response to a case brought by labour union and civil rights groups against the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security.
“Defendants shall not threaten, intimidate or coerce state or local elections officials or workers to demand that they halt processing the ballots of any registered voter solely on the basis that the ballot belongs to an individual alleged by Defendants to be ineligible to vote,” Thompson wrote.
