One Year In, Trump Fuels Voter Suppression and Disenfranchisement

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Over the past year, the Trump administration has unleashed unprecedented, systemic voter suppression tactics that disproportionately target voters of color, particularly Black Americans and Latinos.  

How the Trump administration fuels voter suppression and disenfranchisement: 

The Supreme Court is expected to rule by summer on Louisiana v. Callais, which could reinterpret the Voting Rights Act:

• Erosion of fair representation: State legislatures would have greater freedom to draw district maps that dilute the voting power of voters of color. 

• Fewer protections against discrimination: Weakening Section 2 would remove one of the last remaining tools to challenge racially discriminatory redistricting and voting laws in court.

• Increased partisan gerrymandering: The ruling could pave the way for politicians to entrench their power by manipulating maps to favor one party over the will of voters.
• A setback for democracy: Diminished representation would mean fewer voices of color in Congress and state legislatures, undermining the promise of a government that reflects the people it serves. 

Eliminating mail-in voting poses a direct assault on the millions of Americans who rely on it as their primary access point to democracy:

• Voters with disabilities: According to the CDC, approximately 61 million adults in the U.S. live with a disability. In the 2020 and 2022 elections, between 15 million and 17 million voters with disabilities cast their ballots by mail. Eliminating this option removes a critical access point for over 11% of the electorate.
• Family caregivers: Over 105 million Americans provide care to loved ones. For those with significant mobility or time constraints, mail-in ballots are a vital tool to ensure their voices are heard.
• Military & overseas citizens: Roughly 1.2 million ballots were transmitted to military and overseas voters in the 2020 election. Under these new rules, the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) process would be upended, potentially disenfranchising those serving our country abroad.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act would require individuals to present proof of U.S. citizenship, impacting millions:

• Women: Roughly 84% of women who marry change their surname. As many as 69 million American women do not have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name, and the SAVE Act provides no clear pathway for using marriage certificates as proof.
• Rural & low-income voters: Approximately 146 million Americans do not have a valid passport—one of the few documents acceptable under the SAVE Act. The cost to obtain a passport ranges from $65 to $195 per person, creating an additional financial barrier for many eligible voters.

In response to these developments, Voto Latino issued the following statement:

“From aggressive, hyperpartisan redistricting in states like Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina, to executive orders targeting the very mechanics of our democracy, the administration has waged a persistent campaign against voters of color. Over the past year, the administration has made it harder for millions of eligible American voters to cast their ballots by challenging the protections in the Voting Rights Act through Louisiana v. Callais, as well as by imposing stricter documentation requirements and preventing election officials from accepting mail ballots they received after Election Day.  

To further exacerbate these issues, recent reports of ICE and National Guard deployments in states like Minnesota and Illinois have fueled fears of voter intimidation. Weaponizing law enforcement in proximity to the democratic process serves only to chill participation and spread fear within immigrant and Latino communities.

This isn’t just about policy; it’s about the soul of our democracy. By erecting barriers to silence America’s diverse voices, this administration is trying to choose its voters instead of letting the voters choose their leaders. But our right to be heard is not negotiable.”

Standing at the forefront of civic engagement, Voto Latino is prepared to meet the challenges of the 2026 election cycle with proven results having registered over 2 million new voters. We remain dedicated to addressing the systemic barriers that seek to silence our community, mobilizing the next generation of Latino voters to defend their right to the ballot and secure a more representative future for all Americans.

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Voto Latino is a civic advocacy organization dedicated to educating and empowering the next generation of Latino voters while working to build a more inclusive and representative democracy. Since its founding, Voto Latino has registered more than two million voters. In 2024, the organization took legal action to protect voting rights, filing multiple lawsuits in Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina to safeguard access to the ballot ahead of the elections.