Georgia has gone to court to challenge the FBI’s seizure of Fulton County voting records from the 2020 presidential election. The unprecedented raid marks a dramatic escalation in the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine trust in elections, and it sets the stage for interference in future elections. The administration has not yet given any justification for the raid, but the election denial context is clear, and it comes amid the rampant politicization of federal law enforcement. At the very least, the public deserves a clear explanation for this extraordinary federal intrusion.

After federal agents killed two innocent people in Minneapolis last month, calls for accountability quickly followed. To be sure, it’s not easy for states to prosecute federal law enforcement officers, particularly when the federal government impedes the process. But federal officers do not have absolute immunity from state law, and states have more power than people might realize.

Why is the federal government demanding that states turn over their voter rolls? A confidential agreement signed by states that have gone along with the request has some answers. The Justice Department plans to conduct its own analysis of states’ voter files and then instruct the states to remove specific voters. But it’s the states, not the federal government, that have the legal authority — not to mention the expertise — to correctly add and remove voters from the rolls. Troublingly, a number of states have provided their full voter lists and presumably signed the agreement, which may also violate federal voting rights laws.

Newly released campaign finance data shows that the main super PAC supporting President Trump has raised a staggering $305 million since the 2024 election. That total is five times higher than the previous record for postelection super PAC fundraising, and it’s especially striking given that Trump is legally barred from running for reelection. A Brennan Center piece looks at the biggest donors behind the group, MAGA Inc., and what this unprecedented war chest for a lame-duck president reveals about the state of money in politics.

The Florida Supreme Court heard arguments this week challenging the legality of a 2022 prosecution for alleged voter fraud. The case stems from efforts to target people with past felony convictions who mistakenly voted while ineligible. Despite claims by Gov. Ron DeSantis, there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Florida or nationwide, and the prosecutions instead discouraged eligible voters from participating. A ruling for the state could allow future governors to weaponize law enforcement for political ends.

The Department of Homeland Security has issued an internal memo allowing ICE officers to forcibly enter homes without a warrant signed by a judge. This contradicts long-standing federal policy and the core Fourth Amendment protections that apply to everyone in the United States, regardless of citizenship status. A Brennan Center analysis details the legal implications of the memo.

The Census Bureau released new state-level population estimates last month suggesting the country could see major shifts in representation and political power after House seats are reapportioned following the 2030 census. The data indicates that Southern and Mountain West states could gain seats, while states in the Northeast, West, and Midwest may lose them. However, uncertainties around population trends — including potential long-term changes in immigration — complicate these projections.