Federal Appeals Court Blocks Trump Administration's Demand for Unredacted Michigan Voter Rolls

The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the Trump administration cannot force Michigan to turn over unredacted voter registration rolls, holding that the Civil Rights Act of 1960 does not authorize the federal government to demand non-public voter information from states. The decision marked the first appellate-level defeat for the Trump administration's nationwide campaign to obtain sensitive voter data ahead of the 2026 midterms, ostensibly to identify non-citizens casting ballots. The administration has targeted at least 15 states with similar demands through DOJ lawsuits. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson stated there is no legitimate reason to share such personal data. The White House responded that the ruling 'undermines election integrity' and vowed to 'take this fight all the way to the Supreme Court to protect American citizens from illegal voting.' The aggressive push represents a significant federal overreach against state election administration a...

"The ruling undermines election integrity. We will take this fight all the way to the Supreme Court to protect American citizens from illegal voting." — White House statement responding to the Sixth Circuit ruling blocking access to Michigan voter rolls