WASHINGTON, DC — The League of Women Voters issued the following statement in response to President Trump's executive order, "Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections": 

"The League of Women Voters has always and will always stand unapologetically on the side of voters, particularly those who have been historically disenfranchised within our system, such as women, voters of color, voters with disabilities, and older adults. The administration's latest executive order ("EO") is a direct attack not only on voters, but on how elections are run in this country.  

"The Constitution is clear: election administration is the responsibility of the states, not the executive branch. This EO expands the president's power while narrowing the voting class to a select few.

"The EO's directive to create 'citizenship lists' distributed to every state is blatant federal overreach and creates severe risks for disenfranchisement. The lists would be based on unreliable Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security data, the collection of which the League is actively challenging in litigation.  

"Further, the EO targets election officials for prosecution. The federal government should support election administrators — not place them under heightened threat to navigate unnecessarily complex systems. 

"The League refuses to stand by idly while the freedom to vote is under attack. We will continue to confront this administration and put voters first, whether in courtrooms, in Congress, or on the White House lawn.  

"We successfully blocked a critical piece of the administration's first EO on elections, and we stand ready to do it again."

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