Texas Hands Over 18M Voter Records to Trump DOJ, Sparking Legal Alarm
Texas has turned over the state’s complete list of registered voters to the U.S. Justice Department in response to a federal data request from the Trump administration, raising new concerns over voter privacy and election law. Officials say the move is meant to help federal authorities enforce election regulations but critics see legal risks.
State officials complied with the Justice Department’s nationwide push to collect voter rolls from all 50 states, sending the Texas voter list containing information on about 18.4 million Texans on Dec. 23. The data reportedly included sensitive details such as dates of birth, driver’s license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers.
The DOJ frames the effort as part of its responsibility to enforce federal election law and assist states with maintaining accurate voter lists. But the Democratic National Committee warned in a letter that Texas’s action could violate the National Voter Registration Act and lead to eligible voters being wrongly removed from the rolls.
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Texas Secretary of State officials told reporters the data was provided “with the understanding” federal use would respect state responsibilities and legal protections. However, the actual terms of the memorandum of understanding between Texas and the DOJ have not been released, leaving unanswered questions about future list maintenance actions.
“The turnover of such data could invite privacy violations and could result in eligible voters being kicked off the rolls,” said the DNC’s litigation director in a public letter.
Legal experts and voting rights advocates are watching closely, arguing that federal acquisition of full voter rolls with sensitive information may not be authorized under existing privacy and election laws.
With major elections approaching, debates over the legal standing and protections around this data sharing are expected to intensify.
Soft landing line: The situation remains fluid as officials and legal experts await clarity on the data’s handling and implications.
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