Trump signs executive order seeking to restrict mail-in voting
Order is targeting mail-in voting as courts are expected to intervene, as The White House directed DHS Security to compile voter data as legal challenges over the order are mounting.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order seeking to restrict mail-in voting, escalating efforts to tighten election rules.
The order requires states to impose stricter regulations on mail-in ballots and directs the administration to compile a list of confirmed US citizens eligible to vote in each state.
A White House official said the list would be created using data from the Social Security Administration.
The order also states that the US Postal Service may only send absentee ballots to individuals included on the federally prepared list, with one envelope per ballot.
States that do not comply risk losing federal funding, according to officials.
The move comes without congressional approval and is expected to face legal challenges.
It remains unclear whether the president has the authority to impose such measures, with any final decision likely to be left to the Supreme Court.
It is also unclear how the order will affect ongoing midterm primary elections in several states.
"The cheating on mail-in voting is legendary," Trump said before signing the order.
The order follows repeated claims by Trump alleging irregularities in US elections, which have not been substantiated.
CBS News reported that the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security are nearing an agreement to allow the use of voter registration data for immigration and criminal investigations.
The Justice Department has also filed lawsuits against several states, including California, Michigan and New York, over their refusal to provide voter registration data.
Trump himself voted by mail in Florida earlier this month, despite being present in the state during early in-person voting.