Florida filed a lawsuit against the federal government, seeking access to a national database detailing citizenship information as part of its drive to verify whether non-citizens are illegally registered to vote in the state.

Shortly afterward, the Justice Department said it had initiated steps to sue Florida for violating federal voting laws.

The maneuvering escalated a legal battle between Washington and Republican Governor Rick Scott over his push to purge Florida's voter lists, which is alleged to have misidentified hundreds of people who turned out to be U.S. citizens.