Case: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Trump

1:26-cv-01151 | U.S. District Court for the District of District of Columbia

Filed Date: April 3, 2026

Case Ongoing

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Case Summary

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and four other civil rights organizations filed suit against President Donald J. Trump and various federal agencies in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on April 3, 2026. The complaint challenged President Trump's Executive Order entitled "Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections," issued on March 31, 2026. According to the plaintiffs, this represented Trump's second attempt to regulate elections via executive action after courts had previously struck down a prior order. The Order allegedly required the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to compile "State Citizenship Lists" using error-prone federal databases, mandated the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) refuse mail-in ballot delivery to voters not on federal lists, and directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate officials who failed to comply. The plaintiffs brought six counts alleging constitutional violations including ultra vires presidential action, separation of powers violations, infringement on voting rights, and violations of federal statutes governing USPS authority and the Privacy Act. They sought declaratory and injunctive relief to block implementation of the Executive Order.

This case is ongoing.

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Summary Authors

Ben Hefter (4/7/2026)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73143746/parties/national-association-for-the-advancement-of-colored-people-v-donald-j/

Judge(s)

Kollar-Kotelly, Colleen (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Freedman, John Arak (District of Columbia)

Judge(s)

Kollar-Kotelly, Colleen (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Freedman, John Arak (District of Columbia)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

	Document
1 1:26-cv-01151	Complaint	April 3, 2026	April 3, 2026 Complaint

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Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73143746/national-association-for-the-advancement-of-colored-people-v-donald-j/

Last updated June 9, 2026, 3:16 a.m.

ECF Number	Description	Date	Link Date / Link
1	COMPLAINT against FRANK J. BISIGNANO, TODD BLANCHE, DONALD J. TRUMP, JOSEPH B. EDLOW, EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, HOWARD LUTNICK, MARKWAYNE MULLIN, SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, DAVID STEINER, U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, U.S. POSTAL SERVICE BOARD OF GOVERNORS (Fee Status:Filing Fee Waived) filed by COMMON CAUSE, NAACP, COMMON CAUSE EDUCATION FUND, BLACK VOTERS MATTER FUND, INC., BVM CAPACITY BUILDING INSTITUTE, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons, # 5 Summons, # 6 Summons, # 7 Summons, # 8 Summons, # 9 Summons, # 10 Summons, # 11 Summons, # 12 Summons, # 13 Summons, # 14 Summons, # 15 Summons, # 16 Summons, # 17 Summons)(Freedman, John) (Entered: 04/03/2026) 1 Civil Cover Sheet View on PACER 2 Summons View on PACER 3 Summons View on PACER 4 Summons View on PACER 5 Summons View on PACER 6 Summons View on PACER 7 Summons View on PACER 8 Summons View on PACER 9 Summons View on PACER 10 Summons View on PACER 11 Summons View on PACER 12 Summons View on PACER 13 Summons View on PACER 14 Summons View on PACER 15 Summons View on PACER 16 Summons View on PACER 17 Summons View on PACER	April 3, 2026	April 3, 2026 Clearinghouse
2	NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by BLACK VOTERS MATTER FUND, INC., BVM CAPACITY BUILDING INSTITUTE, INC., COMMON CAUSE, COMMON CAUSE EDUCATION FUND, NAACP. Case related to Case No. 1:26-cv-01114-CK. (Freedman, John) (Entered: 04/03/2026)	April 3, 2026	April 3, 2026
	Payment of Fee - Complaint/Petition	April 3, 2026	April 3, 2026
	Payment for 1 Complaint,,,. ($405; Receipt number ADCDC-12340928). (Freedman, John)	April 3, 2026	April 3, 2026
3	SUMMONS (16) Issued Electronically as to All Defendants, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmw) (Entered: 04/06/2026)	April 6, 2026	April 6, 2026
4	ORDER ESTABLISHING PROCEDURESFOR CIVIL CASES ASSIGNED TO JUDGE COLLEEN KOLLAR-KOTELLY. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 4/6/2026. (lcckk3) (Entered: 04/06/2026)	April 6, 2026	April 6, 2026
	Case Assigned/Reassigned	April 6, 2026	April 6, 2026
	Case Assigned to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. (znmw)	April 6, 2026	April 6, 2026
5	NOTICE of Appearance by Esam Al-Shareffi on behalf of All Defendants (Al-Shareffi, Esam) (Entered: 04/08/2026)	April 8, 2026	April 8, 2026
6	ORDER granting (23) Motion to Reassign Case in case 1:26-cv-01114-CKK; granting (16) Motion to Reassign Case in case 1:26-cv-01132-CKK. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 4/8/2026. (lcckk3) (Entered: 04/08/2026)	April 8, 2026	April 8, 2026 RECAP
7	NOTICE of Appearance by John Arak Freedman on behalf of BLACK VOTERS MATTER FUND, INC., BVM CAPACITY BUILDING INSTITUTE, INC., COMMON CAUSE, COMMON CAUSE EDUCATION FUND, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE (Freedman, John) (Entered: 04/09/2026)	April 9, 2026	April 9, 2026
8	NOTICE of Appearance by Elisabeth S. Theodore on behalf of BLACK VOTERS MATTER FUND, INC., BVM CAPACITY BUILDING INSTITUTE, INC., COMMON CAUSE, COMMON CAUSE EDUCATION FUND, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE (Theodore, Elisabeth) (Entered: 04/09/2026)	April 9, 2026	April 9, 2026
9	MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Sydney E. Lopes, Filing fee $ 100, receipt number ADCDC-12350311. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by BLACK VOTERS MATTER FUND, INC., BVM CAPACITY BUILDING INSTITUTE, INC., COMMON CAUSE, COMMON CAUSE EDUCATION FUND, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Sydney Lopes, # 2 Certificate of Good Standing)(Theodore, Elisabeth) (Entered: 04/09/2026)	April 9, 2026	April 9, 2026
	Case Assigned/Reassigned	April 9, 2026	April 9, 2026
	Case directly reassigned to Judge Carl J. Nichols as related to 26cv1114 (CJN). Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly is no longer assigned to the case. (ztnr)	April 9, 2026	April 9, 2026
10	ORDER CONSOLIDATING CASES. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on 4/9/2026. (zkh) (Entered: 04/13/2026)	April 10, 2026	April 10, 2026 RECAP
11	NOTICE of Appearance by Stephen M. Pezzi on behalf of All Defendants (Pezzi, Stephen) (Entered: 04/13/2026)	April 13, 2026	April 13, 2026
12	RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 4/6/2026. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 6/6/2026. (Freedman, John) Modified dates on 4/15/2026 (znmw). (Entered: 04/14/2026)	April 14, 2026	April 14, 2026
	Create Case Association	April 14, 2026	April 14, 2026
	Cases Consolidated. This case has been consolidated with case 26cv1114 pursuant to 10 Order filed 4/10/2026. From this date forward, all pleadings shall be filed ONLY in the lead case, 26cv1114. Parties are advised NOT to elect the SPREAD TEXT option when filing in ECF, as this will result in repetitive docketing. (znmw)	April 14, 2026	April 14, 2026
	MINUTE ORDER. The Court having considered the 9 Motion for Admission Pro Hac Vice of Sydney Lopes, and it appearing to the Court that the attorney referenced therein meets the requirements for pro hac vice admission under Local Civil Rule 83.2(e), it is hereby ORDERED that the motion is GRANTED. It is further ORDERED that Sydney Lopes is ADMITTED to practice before the Court pro hac vice. Counsel should register for e-filing via PACER and file a notice of appearance pursuant to LCvR 83.6(a) Click for instructions. The notice of appearance shall be filed in the lead case, 26-cv-1114. So ORDERED by Judge Carl J. Nichols on 4/14/2026. (lccjn1)	April 14, 2026	April 14, 2026
	Order on Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice	April 14, 2026	April 14, 2026
13	MOTION to Intervene by STATE OF MISSOURI, STATE OF ALABAMA, STATE OF FLORIDA, STATE OF INDIANA, STATE OF KANSAS, STATE OF LOUISIANA, STATE OF MONTANA, STATE OF NEBRASKA, STATE OF OKLAHOMA, STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA, STATE OF TEXAS. (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support of Motion to Intervene, # 2 Proposed Motion to Dismiss, # 3 Proposed Memorandum in Support of Motion to Dismiss)Associated Cases: 1:26-cv-01114-CJN, 1:26-cv-01132-CJN, 1:26-cv-01151-CJN(Capozzi, Louis) (Entered: 04/20/2026) 1 Memorandum in Support of Motion to Intervene View on RECAP 2 Proposed Motion to Dismiss View on PACER 3 Proposed Memorandum in Support of Motion to Dismiss View on RECAP	April 20, 2026	April 20, 2026 RECAP
14	MOTION for Leave to File Amicus Briefin Support of Plaintiffs by STATE AND LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS AND ELECTION EXPERTS. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Amicus Brief, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)Associated Cases: 1:26-cv-01114-CJN, 1:26-cv-01132-CJN, 1:26-cv-01151-CJN(Bateman, Samantha) (Entered: 04/27/2026) 1 Proposed Amicus Brief View on RECAP 2 Text of Proposed Order View on PACER	April 27, 2026	April 27, 2026
15	NOTICE of Appearance by Grant Michael Flynn on behalf of STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA (Flynn, Grant) (Entered: 05/05/2026)	May 5, 2026	May 5, 2026
17	NOTICE of Appearance by Matt A. Crapo on behalf of FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM Associated Cases: 1:26-cv-01114-CJN, 1:26-cv-01132-CJN, 1:26-cv-01151-CJN(Crapo, Matt)	May 7, 2026	May 7, 2026 RECAP
18	Unopposed MOTION for Leave to File Amicus Briefin support of Defendants' Motion to Dismiss by FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM. (Attachments: (1) Amicus Brief, (2) Proposed Order)Associated Cases: 1:26-cv-01114-CJN, 1:26-cv-01132-CJN, 1:26-cv-01151-CJN(Hajec, Christopher) 1 Amicus Brief View on PACER 2 Proposed Order View on PACER	May 7, 2026	May 7, 2026 RECAP

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Case Details

State / Territory:

District of Columbia

Case Type(s):

Election/Voting Rights

Immigration and/or the Border

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Voting/Election Law

Key Dates

Filing Date: April 3, 2026

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

The NAACP, Common Cause, Common Cause Education Fund, Black Voters Matter Fund Inc., and BVM Capacity Building Institute Inc.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Non-profit NON-religious organization

Attorney Organizations:

NAACP Legal Defense Fund

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.

Ex parte Young (federal or state officials)

Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552a

Constitutional Clause(s):

Federalism (including 10th Amendment)

Freedom of speech/association

Separation of Powers

Other Dockets:

District of District of Columbia 1:26-cv-01151

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: None Yet / None

Relief Sought:

Relief Granted:

Source of Relief:

None yet

Issues

Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority:

Access to information systems

Commandeering

Voting:

Voter ID

Voter qualifications

Voter registration rules

Voting: General & Misc.

Voting: Physical/Effective Access

Access to Voter Rolls / Voter Information

Recommended Citation

Case Summary of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Trump, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/48058/ (last updated 4/7/2026).