Civil Rights Groups File Suit to Halt USCIS Voter Investigation of Naturalized Citizens

Four civil‑rights and voting groups filed a lawsuit on October 28, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s Unlawful Voter Initiative that investigates naturalized citizens. The complaint names DHS, Secretary Markwayne Mullin, USCIS and Director Joseph Edlow as defendants and alleges that the initiative puts naturalized citizens at risk of disenfranchisement. The plaintiffs seek an immediate injunction, a declaration that the program is unlawful, vacatur of the initiative and destruction of records created under it. They also ask the court to bar federal officials from urging state election administrators to reject ballots for people whose names appear on DHS lists. The suit claims violations of the Civil Rights Act’s Uniform Standards Provision, the Privacy Act and the Administrative Procedure Act. The initiative, which began in August 2026, reportedly uses outdated records and questionable techniques, including posing as voters to obtain private registration information. Thousands of citizens have reportedly faced investigations and door‑to‑door questioning, and the program has led to the potential discarding of valid ballots. The complaint cites a September 2026 Senate Democrats whistle‑blower report that federal authorities were investigating citizens without their knowledge. The ACLU’s Voting Rights Project described the process as relying on “magic.” The plaintiffs argue that naturalized citizens hold the same voting rights as native‑born citizens and that the initiative undermines confidence in elections. The lawsuit follows a policy update issued on August 29, 2025, that redefines false citizenship claims and imposes notices to appear for naturalized citizens who vote contrary to law. The case comes amid a separate restriction on federal election‑related field operations that is set to expire on Election Day, November 3, 2026.