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A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling that blocks President Donald Trump's executive order to create a federal list of eligible voters and limit mail ballots to people on that list, a decision that halts the administration's effort in nearly half of U.S. states.

In a ruling issued Saturday, July 25, 2026, the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the administration's request to lift an injunction that several Democratic-led states secured on June 25 from a lower-court judge. The injunction had halted implementation of the order in 23 states and the District of Columbia, which had sued ahead of November's midterm elections.

Coverage Comparison

Both the Jerusalem Post and The Hindu — World reported on the appeals court's decision and the underlying executive order, though with somewhat different emphases.

The Jerusalem Post framed the ruling within the context of the upcoming November congressional elections and President Trump's history of election fraud claims. The report noted that the order aimed to tighten mail-in voting rules and that Trump had pushed what it described as the false claim that his 2020 election defeat was due to widespread fraud. It characterized the administration's actions as an overreach of executive power into state election administration, with language suggesting intimidation of local election officials.

The Hindu — World took a more procedural approach, focusing on the legal conflict between federal executive power and state election authority. It noted that state officials argued the changes were "ripe for abuse" and could cause chaos. Both outlets reported that Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama nominee, had initially halted the order for the November 3 elections in the suing states.

A key point of comparison is the Justice Department's argument that the lawsuit was premature. The appeals court rejected this, with the judges writing, "As the district court reasoned, the (executive order) lays out a clear set of rapidly approaching deadlines by which states must coordinate with federal officials and comply with new voting procedures - all while the states must also ensure that their officials and the public understand the evolving set of rules that would govern the upcoming September and November elections." They added, "The Plaintiff States have no practical choice but to respond to the (order) now."

Neither outlet reported on any other aspect of the ruling beyond the 2-1 decision, and both noted that the White House and Justice Department did not immediately return requests for comment.

Key Claims

  • The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an injunction blocking the executive order in 23 states. This was reported by both the Jerusalem Post and The Hindu — World.
  • The executive order, issued by President Trump in March, directed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to compile a list of confirmed U.S. citizens eligible to vote in each state. The order also directed the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail ballots only to people on that list. Both outlets reported these details.
  • The Justice Department argued the lawsuit was premature because agencies had not finalized actions, but the appeals court rejected this argument. The Jerusalem Post included direct quotes from the judges.
  • Judge Indira Talwani, nominated by President Barack Obama, ruled that the president lacked authority to direct DHS to compile voter eligibility lists and that USPS lacked statutory authorization to adopt binding regulations on mail-in voting. She also ruled that Trump could not use the order to intimidate local election officials with the threat of criminal prosecution. These findings were reported by the Jerusalem Post.
  • The coalition of 23 states and the District of Columbia was led by California, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Washington state. This was reported by the Jerusalem Post.
  • The White House and the Justice Department did not immediately return an email message seeking comment on Sunday, July 26, 2026. This was reported by The Hindu — World.

Perspectives

The appeals court's ruling drew on arguments from both the Trump administration and the coalition of states. The Justice Department contended that the lawsuit was premature, while the appeals court disagreed, emphasizing the practical pressures on states. The states argued that the order unconstitutionally usurped state authority over elections, a position that Judge Talwani and the appeals court majority supported. President Trump touted the order as a safeguard against non-citizens voting, but state election officials argued it was "ripe for abuse" and could cause chaos, as reported by The Hindu — World.