Trump Orders Proof of Citizenship For Voter Registration, Faces Backlash

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote. The order, signed on Tuesday, gives federal authorities more power to enforce election rules. Trump claims the move will ensure fair elections, but critics argue it could prevent millions of Americans from voting.

The new rules will require voters to present documents such as passports to register. States that do not comply could face cuts to federal election funding. Trump insists this step is necessary to prevent fraud, despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud in past elections.

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Trump Says Elections Are “Fake”

Speaking at the White House, Trump repeated his long-standing claims about election fraud. “Perhaps some people think I shouldn’t be complaining, because we won in a landslide,” he said. “But we’ve got to straighten out our election. This country is so sick because of the election, the fake elections.”

Trump has never acknowledged his defeat to Joe Biden in 2020. He continues to argue that absentee voting leads to fraud, though no major studies support this claim. His latest order also targets mail-in ballots, giving the attorney general the power to act against states that count absentee ballots received after Election Day.

Legal Experts Call It an Abuse of Power

Critics say the order could strip millions of Americans of their voting rights. Richard Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, called it “dangerous” and warned that it might lead to legal battles. “This is an executive power grab,” Hasen wrote on his blog. He pointed out that federal elections are mainly run by states, with Congress setting election rules.

The Brennan Center, a public policy institute, also condemned the order. “It would block tens of millions of American citizens from voting,” the group said. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has vowed to challenge it in court. “We’ll see him in court,” the organisation said in a statement.

States and Rights Groups Prepare to Fight

Several states allow absentee ballots to be counted after Election Day, as long as they were postmarked before polls closed. Trump’s order could put these states at risk of losing federal election funding.

Voting rights advocates argue that proof-of-citizenship requirements disproportionately affect low-income voters, older people, and minorities. Some Americans do not have passports or birth certificates readily available. The new rule could create hurdles for these voters, making it harder for them to cast their ballots.

Trump’s Election Policies Under Scrutiny

This is not the first time Trump has questioned the integrity of US elections. During his first term, he claimed without evidence that millions voted illegally. His attempts to change election rules were blocked by courts multiple times.

Voting by non-citizens has been illegal for decades, with laws already in place to punish offenders with fines, imprisonment, or deportation. Critics argue that Trump’s new order is unnecessary and could discourage voter participation.

As legal challenges loom, the debate over Trump’s election policies is set to continue. With the next presidential election approaching, voting rights groups and state officials are bracing for a prolonged legal and political battle.