government
Judge blocks use of federal database to check citizenship, saying it could wrongly purge voters
By ALI SWENSON and FATIMA HUSSEIN, Associated Press at Yourbasin / Big 2 KMID + Fox 24 KPEJ (Nexstar)
· June 23, 2026
· 1 min read
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Monday ruled that a recently revamped version of a federal tool central to the Trump administration’s efforts to nationalize elections can no longer be used. U.S. District Court Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan sided with advocacy groups that argued the recent upgra...
Key takeaway Sooknanan sided with advocacy groups that argued the recent upgrades to the program, called Systematic Alien Verification [...
Why this matters in The Odessa
The ruling on the federal database has implications for Ector County voters, as it could have affected the local election process. In Odessa , where voter registration and turnout are crucial to the community's voice in city government and school board decisions, any potential purging of voters could significantly impact the outcome of local elections. The decision by U.S. District Court Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan may alleviate concerns among local advocacy groups and voters who feared the database could be used to unfairly target certain groups of voters. As the city of Odessa continues to grow and diversify, ensuring the integrity and accessibility of the voting process will remain a key issue for local officials and residents. The ruling may also prompt local election officials to review their own voter registration processes to ensure they are fair and accurate.
About this story
Original reporting by Yourbasin / Big 2 KMID + Fox 24 KPEJ (Nexstar) . The Odessa surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit Yourbasin / Big 2 KMID + Fox 24 KPEJ (Nexstar) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: government ·
Published: June 23, 2026 ·
Source: Yourbasin / Big 2 KMID + Fox 24 KPEJ (Nexstar) ·
Reading time: 1 min
Get more The Odessa stories like this
Free weekly briefing covering government and other local news. Curated by our editorial team. No spam.
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy . Unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Monday ruled that a recently revamped version of a federal tool central to the Trump administration’s efforts to nationalize elections can no longer be used. U.S. District Court Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan sided with advocacy groups that argued the recent upgra...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 23, 2026 by Yourbasin / Big 2 KMID + Fox 24 KPEJ (Nexstar) and curated for The Odessa readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by ALI SWENSON and FATIMA HUSSEIN, Associated Press at Yourbasin / Big 2 KMID + Fox 24 KPEJ (Nexstar). To learn more about how The Odessa selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more government coverage from The Odessa, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
← Back to all news
More government →
Today’s briefing
Subscribe to newsletter