Attack on Voting Rights: Redistricting
Redistricting remains one of the most active fronts in the fight over voting rights. Across the country, states are engaged in ongoing legal battles over maps that voting rights advocates and courts argue weaken the political power of communities of color. In Alabama, lawmakers initially defied a Supreme Court order to create a second majority-Black district (SCOTUS), while courts in Louisiana and Georgia ruled that their congressional maps likely diluted Black voting strength (Reuters, NPR). Similar challenges continue in Texas, North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, Wisconsin, and other states, revealing a nationwide pattern of aggressive gerrymandering.
These maps often rely on “cracking” communities — splitting voters across districts — or “packing” them tightly into a single district. The result is that Black, Brown, Muslim, immigrant, and working-class voters may see their political influence diminished, even in areas where they make up significant portions of the population. This directly shapes who gets elected and which communities receive attention on issues like civil rights, education, healthcare, and policing.
According to the Brennan Center, redistricting lawsuits are currently active in more than 20 states (Brennan Center), underscoring how high the stakes are for democracy.
Unfair maps allow politicians to choose their voters instead of voters choosing their representatives. This erodes political accountability and leaves entire communities without meaningful representation.
Attack on Voting Rights: Executive Orders
In early 2025, President Trump issued an executive order requiring documentary proof of citizenship for federal voter registration. Voting rights experts warned the mandate would block millions of eligible Americans, especially naturalized citizens, low-income voters, and communities of color who may not have immediate access to passports or birth certificates. The directive attempted to override the National Voter Registration Act, which does not require such documents. A federal judge struck it down, ruling the administration lacked the constitutional authority to impose new voter-registration requirements and risked widespread disenfranchisement (The Guardian).
Voting rights organizations noted the order reflected a broader effort to restrict voter access under the false premise of election fraud, despite no evidence of noncitizen voting in the United States (Brennan Center).
By attempting to rewrite federal voting rules through executive action, the administration signaled an intent to narrow who can participate in democracy and reshape the electorate in ways that disproportionately harm marginalized communities.
Attack on Voting Rights: The SAVE Act
The SAVE Act would require voters to show documentary proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, before registering, a step experts warn would disenfranchise over 21 million eligible Americans who do not have ready access to these documents. Despite repeated studies showing no evidence of widespread noncitizen voting, the bill advances a false narrative to justify restricting the electorate. Civil rights groups note that the burden would fall hardest on married women who changed their names, low-income voters, seniors, students and communities of color, echoing past voter suppression tactics.
If enacted, the SAVE Act would amount to one of the largest rollbacks of voting access in modern history, reshaping the electorate by excluding millions of lawful voters. 🔗
Emgage Action's Policy Recommendations
PRIORITIES
- Multilingual Voting Materials: Ensure ballots and voter information are available in multiple languages.
- Targeted Community Outreach: Fund voter education efforts in underserved and immigrant communities.
- Protection from Intimidation: Strengthen safeguards against voter harassment at polls.
- Combating Disinformation: Monitor and address false narratives that suppress minority turnout.
- Mail-In Voting Protections: Safeguard absentee ballot access and ensure secure return options.
- ADA Compliance: Guarantee polling place accessibility for voters with disabilities.
- Rights Restoration: Support voting rights restoration for formerly incarcerated citizens.
Emgage Action remains committed to protecting the voting rights of Muslim Americans and all marginalized communities. We will continue to advocate for fair, secure, and inclusive access to the democratic process.