NCJW’s Greater New Orleans Section wins victory in federal court ruling

Led by a legal challenge filed by the Greater New Orleans Section of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), non-profit organizations achieved a major victory last week when a federal court permanently struck down a Trump administration ban that had earlier prevented them and others from helping newly naturalized American citizens secure voting rights. 

The October 15 judgment marks a decisive victory: After initially defending the ban, the Trump administration agreed to the final judgment and waived its right to appeal. The ruling restores the ability of nonprofits across the country to help new citizens register to vote after their naturalization ceremonies.

“This is an extraordinary victory for our democracy, and we could not be prouder of the Jewish women in New Orleans who made it happen,” said Jody Rabhan, CEO of the NCJW, in a statement this week. “When the Trump administration tried to stop our volunteers from welcoming new Americans into our democracy, they refused to back down. They fought back, and they won, with broad implications for communities all across the nation.”

Since 2018, NCJW Greater New Orleans volunteers have helped register between 30 and 50 newly naturalized citizens following each citizenship ceremony. But in August 2025, US Citizenship and Immigration Services abruptly barred all nongovernmental organizations from providing voter registration assistance at these ceremonies.

“Our Jewish tradition commands us to welcome the stranger, and for 133 years, NCJW has put that value into action, Rabhan contiued. “At a moment when voting rights are under attack and the midterms are just weeks away, our Greater New Orleans Section has shown what is possible when local advocates turn Jewish values into national change.”

Represented by Elias Law Group, the Greater New Orleans Section, one of the oldest in the country, filed suit in November 2025, challenging the ban as unlawful and unconstitutional. Its case was later consolidated with a parallel lawsuit brought by the League of Women Voters. In August 2026, a federal judge temporarily blocked the ban, finding that NCJW had demonstrated a likelihood of success on its claim that the policy was motivated by discriminatory intent. NCJW was the only plaintiff organization to bring an equal protection claim.

“We’ve stood alongside new Americans on one of the most important days of their lives, helping them take the next step toward making their voices heard,” said Sylvia Finger, the New Olevoter mobilization chair. “When the administration tried to shut us out, we knew we had to fight back. We weren’t going to let the federal government put an end to work that means so much to the people we serve.”   one