A federal appeals court in Virginia rejected Republican efforts to reinstate a purge of suspected noncitizens from voter rolls after a state program removed about 1,500 names within 90 days of an election. The court upheld a ruling blocking the program and ordering the restoration of canceled registrations. Voting rights groups and the Justice Department argued that naturalized citizens were being wrongfully removed from the rolls based on motor vehicle declarations. Studies have shown that the number of suspected noncitizens voting is minimal, but Republicans have made removal of these individuals a focus of voter integrity lawsuits. This decision marks the second time in three days that a federal court ruled against Virginia’s purge of eligible citizens, urging the Supreme Court to intervene. The court’s decision highlights the importance of protecting the voting rights of eligible citizens and ensuring that individuals are not wrongfully disenfranchised based on faulty information or outdated records.
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