DHS ICE polling place arrests
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
DHS Secretary Mullin said ICE could deploy to polling places for specific threats or warrants. The statement leaves open federal presence at voting sites, alarming voting rights groups.
Background
The Trump administration has launched an intensive hunt for noncitizen voter fraud ahead of the November midterms, despite evidence that such fraud is exceedingly rare. DHS agents are scouring state voter rolls using personal data, and the effort is called the Unlawful Voter Initiative. Mullin's comments about potential ICE presence at polling places come amid months of Democratic and voting rights group warnings about voter intimidation.
How it unfolded
- Feb 2026A DHS official told secretaries of state that any suggestion ICE will be present at polling locations is 'simply not true.'
- Jul 2026Mullin said immigration agents were reviewing state voter rolls 'looking for illegal aliens and those who are ineligible to vote.'
- Aug 27, 2026GOP nominee for Maine governor says he wants ICE agents at polling places in the state.
- Sep 1, 2026Mullin said ICE could deploy to polling sites for 'specific threats' or to serve warrants; DHS later said ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations.
- Sep 2, 2026A senior DHS official told NBC News that ICE agents have not received instructions to do anything beyond regular duties on Election Day.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- DHS says ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations, but agents could respond to an active public safety threat or serve a warrant.
- Support
- Mullin argues ICE presence at polling places would only occur for specific threats or warrants, not routine patrols.
- Caution
- Voting rights groups and Democrats warn that any federal agent presence at polling places could intimidate voters and depress turnout.
Still unverified
Claims by Trump that hundreds of thousands of noncitizens are registered to vote are unsubstantiated; the Heritage Foundation database shows roughly 100 instances of noncitizen voting over 25 years.