Federal court has blocked Alabama from using its new congressional map

A federal court has blocked Alabama from using its new congressional map, ordering the state to use a court-imposed map with 2 majority-black seats for the 2026 elections. The three-judge panel finds that Plaintiffs are likely to succeed on their Section 2 claims even after Callais. It also finds that Alabama intentionally discriminated against black voters in violation of the 14th Amendment. The Court finds that Purcell does not bar relief because the court-imposed map is the operational status quo.