Federal grand jury indicts Rep. McIver over ICE confrontation

• Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) was indicted by a federal grand jury for confronting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during a May oversight visit. She’s accused of “forcibly impeding” federal agents, a charge carrying up to 17 years in prison. McIver said: “I will not be intimidated.” 

Gov. Newsom: ‘Democracy is under assault before our eyes’

• As federal agents conducted large-scale, targeted raids in Los Angeles last night, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) framed the ongoing showdown between his state and the Trump administration as a battle for democracy.
  
  
• President Donald Trump's federalization of the California National Guard without Newsom's approval asserts broad powers that could apply to any state. Experts told Democracy Docket that deploying the military in Los Angeles undermines federal law and risks federal overreach.

In a thriving democracy, protestors aren’t detained by the National Guard and members of Congress aren’t baselessly indicted. Join a growing movement of readers who demand better — $10/month helps keep Democracy Docket independent and unflinching.

DOJ flips stance in Arizona citizenship requirement challenge

• The Department of Justice (DOJ) changed its stance and is now supporting Arizona’s request for a rehearing in a case about the state’s restrictive voter registration law. This reverses the Biden DOJ’s earlier position and supports overturning a court decision that had blocked the law.
  
  
• At issue is Arizona's birthplace requirement for state voter registration applications. The Trump DOJ now argues that the requirement does not violate federal law — a reversal of  the Biden DOJ's stance, and the latest stark example of the department’s shift from pro-voting to anti-voting.

Court permanently dismisses right-wing case to purge 277k voters

• A federal court permanently dismissed a lawsuit from the conservative 1789 Foundation that sought to remove 277,00 Pennsylvania voters from the rolls. Marc and Paige Moskowitz explain.

Trump upended Biden’s push for federal agencies to register voters

• In 2021, then-President Joe Biden became the first president to mandate federal agencies register voters, leading to unprecedented voter registration efforts. Fast forward to 2025, Trump's return to the White House quickly undid Biden’s progress.

Hearings coming up tomorrow 

• Oral argument is scheduled in an RNC lawsuit challenging Michigan's voter roll maintenance policies. A district court dismissed the case last year.
  
  
• A state court will hear another RNC lawsuit challenging Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's guidance regarding Michigan’s number matching policy for absentee ballots. The RNC wants local election officials to reject absentee ballots with a missing or wrong numbered stub.
  
  
• A TRO hearing is scheduled over California's request to block Trump's use of the military in Los Angeles.