Federal Court Issues Preliminary Injunction Limiting DHS Preelection Field Operations

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted a preliminary injunction on Oct. 21 restricting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) field operations investigating voter eligibility ahead of Election Day. The court found that conducting investigations in the final weeks before the election based on records known to misidentify U.S. citizens as noncitizens constituted voter intimidation, according to legal advocacy group Protect Democracy.

The judicial order bars DHS from conducting field operations involving individuals who are known or suspected to be citizens. It also prohibits operations based entirely on flawed data sources without additional investigation. The injunction covers nine states identified as part of Homeland Security Investigations' (HSI) preelection surge: California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Protect Democracy Counsel Beau Tremitiere criticized the agency's actions, stating that DHS relied on inaccurate data and deployed armed agents to residents' homes shortly before the election. Tremitiere described the ruling as an affirmation that citizens have the right to vote without harassment from government agents.

The lawsuit was originally filed on Sept. 21, 2026, citing the Voting Rights Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the U.S. Constitution. The plaintiffs include the California Nurses Association, National Nurses United, the Voto Latino Foundation, the City and County of San Francisco, and Santa Clara County. The unions and Voto Latino are represented by Protect Democracy and the National Immigration Law Center, while the municipal entities represent themselves.

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