A federal judge appointed by President Donald Trump has delivered a significant blow to the administration’s election oversight efforts, dismissing a Department of Justice lawsuit seeking access to Michigan’s voter registration records.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Hala Jarbou dismissed the case, ruling that the DOJ failed to establish a valid legal claim requiring the state to turn over its voter data.
The lawsuit stemmed from an effort by Attorney General Pam Bondi to obtain full voter registration lists — including certain personal details — from several Democrat-led states. The Department of Justice argued that federal election laws authorize Washington to review voter records to ensure compliance with national election standards.
According to the DOJ, its authority was grounded in the Help America Vote Act, the National Voter Registration Act, and the Civil Rights Act of 1960 — laws frequently cited in debates over election integrity and federal oversight.
Judge Jarbou rejected that interpretation.
In her written opinion, she concluded that none of the cited statutes require states to disclose private voter registration information to the federal government. She explained that the Help America Vote Act does not mandate the release of records, the National Voter Registration Act applies only to list maintenance procedures rather than full voter rolls, and the Civil Rights Act does not cover documents that never come into the possession of election officials.
As a result, the court granted Michigan’s motion to dismiss the case.
The ruling follows similar decisions issued earlier this year by federal judges in Oregon and California, where courts also blocked federal efforts to access state-level voter registration data.
For many conservatives who prioritize election transparency and uniform enforcement of federal law, the decision is likely to raise concerns — particularly because it came from a judge originally appointed by President Trump.