March 31

Trump signs second election executive order directing USPS to block mail ballots to non-verified voters

President Trump signs a second election executive order on March 31, 2026, directing the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to compile "State Citizenship Lists" of eligible voters in each state and instructing the U.S. Postal Service to refuse to deliver mail ballots to anyone not on those lists. The order also directs the USPS to create trackable barcodes on all mail ballot envelopes and authorizes Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate and prosecute election officials who send ballots to ineligible voters. Trump describes the order as "foolproof" at the signing ceremony. Election law scholars across the political spectrum immediately criticize the order as unconstitutional, noting that the Elections Clause gives Congress — not the president — authority over federal election rules, and that USPS is an independent agency whose operations Congress controls by statute.

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Trump signs executive order directing USPS to restrict mail ballot delivery to DHS-verified list

President Trump signs an executive order titled "Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections," directing DHS and the Social Security Administration to compile a national list of verified U.S. citizen voters and ordering USPS to send mail ballots only to individuals on that list. Three lawsuits are filed within 48 hours by the DNC, ACLU, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Campaign Legal Center, and LULAC. Plaintiffs argue the order violates the Elections Clause of Article I, Section 4, which gives states and Congress, not the president, authority over federal election administration. A prior Trump election executive order was already blocked on the same constitutional grounds.

Texas Federal Court Rejects IRS Consent Decree on Church Political Endorsements

A federal judge in the Eastern District of Texas rejected the proposed consent agreement between the IRS and National Religious Broadcasters on March 31, 2026, ruling that the court lacked authority to approve an agreement that would effectively nullify a federal statute enacted by Congress. The ruling blocked the consent decree from taking effect but did not resolve the underlying lawsuit or the IRS's stated non-enforcement posture. The IRS administrative policy of not revoking 501(c)(3) status for church political endorsements remained unchanged despite the court's rejection.

Judge Moss permanently blocks Trump order defunding NPR and PBS

U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss of the District of Columbia issued a permanent injunction on March 31, 2026, barring the Trump administration from implementing a May 2025 executive order that ended federal funding for NPR and PBS. Moss ruled the order constituted viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment, holding that the government may not use the power of the purse to punish speakers for their content. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting had already disbanded earlier in the year after Congress canceled its appropriations.

Judge Leon grants injunction halting White House ballroom construction Trump lacks authority

Senior U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon grants the National Trust for Historic Preservation's request for a preliminary injunction, ordering construction on Trump's White House ballroom to stop. Leon rules that "no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have," writing that Trump was "moving ahead with construction unlawfully" because he had not asked Congress for permission. The project's estimated cost has risen from $200 million to $400 million since the July 2025 announcement. Leon delays enforcement 14 days to allow the administration to appeal. The ruling directly challenges executive authority, affirming that major alterations to federal property require congressional appropriation.

President Trump signs executive order directing USPS to restrict mail ballot delivery

President Trump signs an executive order on March 31, 2026, titled "Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections," directing the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to compile a national list of verified U.S. citizen voters in each state. The order requires the U.S. Postal Service to send mail ballots only to individuals on that list. States and localities that don't comply risk losing federal funding. Three lawsuits are filed by April 2, challenging the order. The National Association of Counties contends the order would restrict mail-in voting, threaten election officials with prosecution, and improperly shift control of elections from states to the federal government.

Trump signs second mail-voting executive order directing USPS to enforce voter eligibility

President Trump signed Executive Order "Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections" on March 31, 2026, directing the U.S. Postal Service to refuse delivery of mail ballots to anyone not on newly created federal voter eligibility lists. The order also directed DHS to compile lists of voting-age citizens in every state and required DOJ to prosecute election officials who delivered ballots to ineligible voters. Multiple lawsuits were filed within days.

Trump signs executive order giving DHS control over mail ballot eligibility

President Trump signed an executive order on March 31, 2026, directing the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration to compile a national citizenship verification list that USPS must use to gatekeep mail ballot delivery. States must submit absentee voter lists to USPS at least 60 days before federal elections or risk voters losing mail ballot access. The order requires USPS to begin rulemaking within 60 days and DHS to build list infrastructure within 90 days.

Judge Leon halts $400M White House ballroom, rules Congress must authorize spending

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled on March 31, 2026, that President Trump could not proceed with a $400 million White House ballroom construction project funded by private donations without congressional authorization. Leon held that the Appropriations Clause bars the executive branch from accepting and spending large private funds to alter federal property without congressional approval. The ruling halted construction pending appeal.

23 states sue Trump over executive order giving DHS control over mail ballot eligibility

Officials from 23 Democratic states and the District of Columbia file a lawsuit seeking to block President Trump's executive order that aims to restrict mail voting. The lawsuit, led by California, is filed in federal court in Massachusetts. The lawsuit asserts that neither the Constitution nor any federal law gives the president the power to mandate widespread changes to states' election procedures. The executive order directs the Department of Homeland Security to compile "State Citizenship Lists" of U.S. citizens eligible to vote in federal elections and requires the U.S. Postal Service to send mail or absentee ballots only to voters on each state's list. The states warn that the president's order "violates bedrock principles of federalism and separation of powers" and "transgress Plaintiff States' constitutional power to prescribe the time, place, and manner of federal elections." The Constitution's Elections Clause gives states the power to set the "times, places and manner" of federal elections.

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SCOTUS rules 8-1 that Colorado conversion therapy ban violates First Amendment

The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in Chiles v. Salazar on March 31, 2026, that Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for licensed counselors violated the First Amendment as viewpoint-based discrimination. Justice Gorsuch's majority held that the state cannot prohibit therapeutic speech based on a therapist's belief that same-sex attraction is changeable, applying strict scrutiny under the professional speech doctrine established in NIFLA v. Becerra (2018). Justice Jackson's lone dissent argued the law regulated harmful conduct on minors, not protected speech. Justices Kagan and Sotomayor joined the majority but wrote separately to signal that states could preserve bans by reframing them as conduct-neutral prohibitions rather than viewpoint-targeted speech restrictions.

Jeffries denounces Trump voter-suppression executive order

Hakeem Jeffries issued a public statement condemning Trump’s election executive order as voter suppression. The response turned the order into a leading opposition issue around federal power, state election authority, and access to the ballot.

Jeffries denounces Trump voter-suppression executive order

Jeffries said Trump's election-related executive order was an unlawful power grab designed to make voting harder and intimidate state officials. The post is a critical record for your voting-rights and broader social-issues categories.

Election deadline: Arkansas Primary Runoff 2026

Voting for Arkansas Primary Runoff 2026 occurs on this date. Offices on ballot: U.S. Senate; U.S. House; Governor. See the linked election record for registration, early voting, and mail ballot deadlines.

Vance travels to London to advance U.S.-UK trade agreement implementation

Vice President JD Vance traveled to London on March 31, 2026, to advance implementation of the U.S.-UK Economic Prosperity Deal announced in May 2025. Vance met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds to discuss tariff quota implementation for UK steel, aluminum, and automobiles; Trump had signed an executive order implementing the deal's vehicle tariff provisions in June 2025.

Trump issues citizenship-verification election order

Trump issued an executive order directing citizenship verification and voter-eligibility changes in federal elections. The order became a major voting-rights fight because election administration is largely run by states under rules set by Congress.

Nevada Federal Judge Blocks ICE Mandatory Detention, Orders Bond Hearings for Detainees

U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware II in Nevada ruled on March 31, 2026, that the Trump administration policy requiring ICE to detain nearly all people facing deportation violated federal law and caused irreparable harm. The ruling vacated DHS mandatory detention policies under the Administrative Procedure Act and ordered that hundreds of current detainees in Nevada receive bond hearings. By April 7, ICE detention facilities were required to post bilingual notices of detainee rights; by April 14, facilities had to provide habeas petition forms.

US Gas Prices Cross $4 Per Gallon as Iran War Closes Strait of Hormuz

The national average price of gasoline in the United States crossed $4 per gallon on March 31, 2026, the first time since 2022, rising 40 percent since the Iran war began on February 28. The Strait of Hormuz closure by Iran had cut tanker traffic through the chokepoint, which carries roughly 20 percent of global oil trade. Diesel crossed $5 per gallon on March 17, and analysts projected regular gas could reach $5 if the Strait remained closed.

Iran's Pezeshkian Signals Peace Willingness as Pakistan and China Issue Five-Point Plan

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke by phone with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on March 31, 2026, signaling Iran's willingness to negotiate an end to the war if certain conditions were met. The same day, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar flew to Beijing where he and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi jointly released a five-point peace initiative calling for an immediate ceasefire, civilian protection, humanitarian access, restored Strait of Hormuz shipping, and a larger UN role.