Judge Blocks Virginia's Purge of Noncitizens, Orders 1,600 Voters Restored Before Election

Oct 25, 2024, 03:50 PM

A federal judge, U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles, has ordered Virginia to reinstate over 1,600 individuals who were removed from the state's voter rolls under a program targeting noncitizens. The state's program, initiated by Governor Glenn Youngkin in August through an executive order, aimed to remove individuals identified as noncitizens from voter registration lists ahead of the upcoming presidential election. The U.S. Department of Justice and advocacy groups sued the state, arguing that the program violated the National Voter Registration Act by purging voters within 90 days of a federal election. Judge Giles, a Biden appointee, granted an injunction, ruling that the state's actions were a clear violation of federal law and ordered the restoration of the affected voters' registrations just 11 days before the election. Governor Youngkin expressed his intent to appeal the decision, potentially to the U.S. Supreme Court, stating that Virginia is prepared to take the issue all the way if necessary. The DOJ contends that the state's program unlawfully removed eligible voters and that some individuals may have become naturalized citizens since initially identifying as noncitizens.