Story perspectives

Trump-Backed DOJ Moves to Dismantle Majority-Minority Districts, Adding 19 Seats

5/2/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Justice Department will use the Louisiana v. Callais decision to dismantle Black-Latino-majority districts.
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the DOJ to challenge majority-minority districts nationwide.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said new maps for southern states and Pennsylvania target the 2028-2030 elections.
Analysts estimate the ruling could let Republicans add up to 19 majority-minority seats.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry suspended the May 16 primary to give lawmakers time to redraw districts.

History

Historical Context

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act on Aug 6 1965, outlawing literacy tests and requiring preclearance that spurred roughly 1,000 DOJ lawsuits in its first decade. After the 2013 Shelby decision crippled preclearance and the 2026 Louisiana v. Callais ruling gutted Section 2, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon in 2024 moved to dismantle Black-Latino districts, echoing the Act’s original federal oversight.

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Story summary

The Justice Department will use the Louisiana v. Callais decision to dismantle Black-Latino-majority districts.
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the DOJ to challenge majority-minority districts nationwide.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said new maps for southern states and Pennsylvania target the 2028-2030 elections.
Analysts estimate the ruling could let Republicans add up to 19 majority-minority seats.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry suspended the May 16 primary to give lawmakers time to redraw districts.

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