A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling that blocked an executive order by Donald Trump, which sought to create a federal list of eligible voters and restrict mail ballot delivery to only those on the list.

The decision by judges of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the administration's attempt to implement these voting restrictions in 23 U.S. states that had filed lawsuits ahead of November's midterm elections.

Trump had issued the executive order in March, instructing the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the commissioner of the Social Security Administration to compile a "state citizenship list" of eligible voters.

The order also mandated the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail ballots exclusively to individuals appearing on this new list.

While Trump asserted these proposed changes were necessary safeguards to prevent non-U.S. citizens from voting, state election officials countered that the measures were prone to abuse and could lead to widespread chaos.

Democratic officials from 23 states and the District of Columbia challenged the order in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Boston, arguing that the president lacked the constitutional authority to set election rules, which instead rests with states and Congress.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, an appointee of President Barack Obama, concurred with the plaintiffs, halting Trump's order from being implemented for the Nov. 3 elections, though only in the states that had brought the legal challenge.

The Justice Department stated in an emailed statement on Sunday that it is "reviewing all options" regarding its subsequent legal steps and expressed confidence that Trump's executive order would ultimately be upheld.