I Enforced Voting Rights for the DOJ. The Supreme Court and Trump Have Teamed Up to Level Them.

"As a former attorney in the Voting Section of the U.S. Department of Justice, I am most concerned about Louisiana v. Callais, a case in which the court could debilitate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a core remaining pillar of the landmark civil rights statute. Section 2, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting nationwide, has long been used to challenge redistricting plans and other voting procedures that deny voters of color a fair chance to participate in the political process."

"In my years enforcing Section 2, I witnessed the power of this statute to promote belonging and civic inclusion by opening the political process to Americans who were previously excluded. Section 2 is now under assault on multiple fronts. In Callais, self-described "non-African American" voters are challenging a congressional redistricting plan enacted by Louisiana to provide Black voters a fair opportunity to elect their preferred candidates."

"Louisiana drew this plan only after federal courts found that its previous redistricting plan likely violated Section 2. The challengers claim that the new plan is unconstitutional because intentionally drawing majority-Black election districts-even to remedy a Section 2 violation-runs afoul of the Constitution's prohibitions on racial discrimination. The Supreme Court already heard arguments in this case during its last term, and the justices' unusual decision to rehear it has many court watchers predicting Section 2's demise."

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act prohibits racial discrimination in voting nationwide and has been used to challenge redistricting plans and other voting procedures that deny voters of color a fair chance to participate. Enforcement of Section 2 has promoted belonging and civic inclusion by opening the political process to previously excluded Americans. The Supreme Court case Louisiana v. Callais challenges a Louisiana congressional map drawn to provide Black voters an opportunity to elect preferred candidates. Challengers contend that intentionally drawing majority-Black districts may run afoul of constitutional prohibitions on racial classifications. Multiple pending cases and appellate rulings threaten to curtail private enforcement and narrow Section 2’s scope.

Read at Slate Magazine