A federal judge on Sunday ruled that Iowa may continue to challenge the validity of hundreds of ballots from possible noncitizens over objections from critics who warned that people who recently became U.S. citizens could be disenfranchised by the decision.

U.S. District Judge Stephen Locher, an appointee of President Biden, declined to stop Iowa from investigating and potentially removing more than 2,000 names from the state's voter registration rolls who were identified by Secretary of State Paul Pate's office as potentially ineligible to vote due to being noncitizens.

"Whatever concerns Plaintiffs might have about the nature and timing of Secretary Pate’s letter, it would not be appropriate for the Court to respond by granting injunctive relief that........

© The Hill