The Hill News

The Justice Department moved Monday to block Texas's new law that requires voters to display government-issued photo identification while voting, arguing the legislation disproportionately harms Hispanic voters.

Republicans in the state have argued the voter ID laws are intended to prevent voter fraud at the polls. But the Obama administration argued in a letter to the Texas Secretary of State that there wasn't evidence of pervasive voter fraud under the state's existing laws.

"The state’s sole justifications for changing the current practice to require photographic identification to vote in person that appear in the legislative proceedings and are presented in its submission are to ensure electoral integrity and deter ineligible voters from voting. At the same time, we note that the state’s submission did not include evidence of significant in-person voter impersonation not already addressed by the state’s existing laws," wrote Assistant Attor! ney general Thomas Perez.

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