ACLU of Texas Comment on Federal Judge’s Order to Halt Voter Purge

San Antonio — A federal judge has just ordered the Texas Secretary of State and county election officials to stop a purge of naturalized citizens from the voter rolls.

Thomas Buser-Clancy, staff attorney for the ACLU of Texas, had this reaction:

“This is an extremely important ruling to help prevent eligible voters in Texas from getting kicked off the voter rolls. Today, the court recognized what we have been saying all along: This voter purge discriminates against naturalized citizens using a process that the court described as ‘ham-handed’ and ‘threatening.’”

Multiple lawsuits, including one by the ACLU of Texas and other civil rights organizations, have been filed challenging the creation and rollout of the flawed voter purge list on the grounds that it discriminates against naturalized citizens.

The court has issued this order temporarily halting the voter purge process while it more fully considers the parties’ request for a preliminary injunction.