On Thursday the U.S. Justice Department announced plans to sue the state of Texas because its voter-ID law violates the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution's 14th and 15th amendments, the Washington Post reports.
Attorney General Eric Holder, commenting on the lawsuit, described how the move is part of an ongoing effort to penalize any behavior seeking to take advantage of the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act.
The decisions come just weeks after the Supreme Court struck down part of the act that determines which jurisdictions require the Justice Department to approve any electoral changes before they become law. Texas had previously been subject to the so-called "preclearance."
Justice Department officials have made clear that, despite the court's decision, it will use other legal avenues to ensure that Voter ID laws and other legislation don't infringe on the voting rights of minorities.
"Today's action marks another step forward in the Justice Department's continuing effort to protect the voting rights of all eligible Americans," Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement. "We will not allow the Supreme Court's recent decision to be interpreted as open season for states to pursue measures that suppress voting rights."
Read more at the Washington Post.