The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed suit against Texas Thursday, claiming its recent voting restrictions violate federal voting rights. The DOJ asked the court to enjoin Texas from enforcing the recently signed law.

Texas imposed the restrictions under Texas Senate Bill 1 (SB1), which Governor Greg Abbott signed into law in September. During the bill signing event, Abbott admitted that he anticipated a lawsuit, saying he would “be astonished if a law like this was not challenged in court.” But he added that he was “extremely confident” that the court would uphold it.

In this foreshadowed lawsuit, the US stated that, even before Texas passed SB1, it “imposed some of the strictest limitations in the nation on the right of certain citizens to voting assistance.” The DOJ challenged the new law under Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act and Section 101 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The DOJ specifically identified the provision of SB1 that details requirements for rejecting mail ballot materials for immaterial errors or omissions as a violation of federal voting rights law.

The US also argued that SB1 unlawfully denies meaningful assistance in the voting booths to eligible voters who face barriers when exercising their right to vote. The DOJ cautioned that SB1 will disenfranchise these eligible voters, “including voters with limited English proficiency, voters with disabilities, elderly voters, members of the military deployed away from home, and American citizens residing outside of the country.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland said, “Our democracy depends on the right of eligible voters to cast a ballot and to have that ballot counted.” He added, “The Justice Department will continue to use all the authorities at its disposal to protect this fundamental pillar of our society.”