The United States Department of Justice said on Friday that it will sue the state of Georgia for its new elections laws which indirectly seek to discriminate on a racial basis.

Georgia, a state which is politically dominated by lawmakers from the Republican party, passed restrictive laws in March, further tightening the grip of election rules. 

US President Joe Biden, in the presidential elections of 2020, gained a huge political capital from the state after it showed a massive electoral turnout from the African-American community. 

The Justice Department charged that the new laws were passed with discriminatory intent with little study or debate, and would make voting harder in largely Black precincts compared to predominantly white areas.

“The rights of all citizens to vote are the central pillars of our democracy,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland.

“Our complaint alleges that recent changes to Georgia’s election laws were enacted with the purpose of denying or abridging the right of Black Georgians to vote on account of their race or color,” Garland said.

He said the department was studying new voting legislation in other states and would also sue if constitutional violations were seen.

“We will not hesitate to act,” he said.

The eruption of the coronavirus pandemic in the middle of an election year saw many states expand early voting and voting by mail, making it easier for the public to obtain and deliver ballots.

While that benefitted both parties, some Republicans including Trump believe it was to their disadvantage, and have pushed for tighter restrictions on how, when and where Americans can vote.

Trump continues to allege vote fraud in Georgia, but despite reviews, investigations and recounts, no significant fraud or irregularity has been uncovered.

The decision to sue in federal court put the Justice Department on a collision course with several Republican-led states attempting to enact new voting laws in the wake of last year’s election.

The United States Constitution grants every state individual power to mould their own electoral practices as long as they uphold the democratic practices of the country.

If the department wins, the laws are judged illegal — but the states can appeal all the way to the Supreme Court.

The democratic party, earlier this week, did not succeed in passing legislation that sought to expand the protection of voting rights and increase access to the ballot. The bill was stopped in its tracks by GOP lawmakers in the Senate.

Garland also announced that the Justice Department is ordering federal prosecutors around the country to prosecute cases of threats against voting officials and poll volunteers, amid a “dramatic increase” in such incidents.

Republicans accused Democrats of using the lawsuit to pursue their own power.

“Joe Biden is now weaponising the Justice Department to attack election integrity,” said Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel in a statement.

Trump meanwhile repeated his unproven claims of ballot fraud.

“It should be the other way around!” Trump said in a statement

“The people of Georgia should sue the State, and their elected officials, for running a corrupt and rigged 2020 presidential election.”