The Trump administration filed an emergency request with the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday seeking to lift a federal judge's order blocking the U.S. Postal Service from implementing new mail-in voting restrictions planned for the midterm election.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston issued a preliminary injunction on Friday that stops key parts of the USPS plan. The injunction replaced an earlier temporary order that the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to review.
The USPS plan, which followed an executive order by Trump, includes an online portal designed to track millions of mail ballots. A whistleblower told Congress that the requirements could result in scores of mail ballots never being sent.
The new system has drawn fierce criticism from Democratic lawmakers. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the president was "[attempting] to destroy the integrity of our elections" with the move.
Judge Talwani's preliminary injunction blocks the implementation of key components of the USPS mail-in voting plan. It remains unclear what the new injunction means for the Supreme Court's review of the earlier temporary order.
A ruling from the Supreme Court on Talwani's earlier order was not expected until sometime after 10 a.m. ET on September 8, according to a deadline set by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson for legal briefs from both sides regarding the USPS plan.