Judge Trina Thompson on Friday issued a temporary restraining order that bars the Justice Department from threatening state and local election officials with prosecution if they refuse to act on a list of suspected non‑citizen voters.
The order comes after the Trump administration demanded that state registries purge voters flagged by a federal database, a move the DOJ justified as a security measure.
Election officials across the country have welcomed the ruling, saying it protects the integrity of the November 3 midterms; the DOJ has said it will contest the decision in a higher court.
The temporary restraining order will expire on November 1 unless extended, and election officials are preparing to defend their voter rolls in the limited window before the election.