Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) called for the absence of federal immigration enforcement officers at polling locations on Sunday ahead of the upcoming November elections. Baldwin stated her position in a post on the social platform X, writing, “No ICE at our polling places,” in reference to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The statement follows a period of increased scrutiny regarding the tactics used by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Democratic lawmakers and residents in cities such as Los Angeles and Minneapolis have previously questioned the deployment of ICE personnel. In February, White House border czar Tom Homan withdrew ICE officers from Minnesota following a January incident in which two U.S. citizens were killed during agency operations.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin addressed the possibility of poll deployments during a June appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.” Mullin declined to rule out sending officers to polling locations, stating they would be present if a "threat" arose. He specified that "the only people that should be voting there is American citizens" and suggested ICE officers could respond to incidents such as bomb threats because they "are more than just immigration customs enforcement."
The policy debate centers on the day-to-day experience of citizens casting ballots. While Secretary Mullin argues ICE personnel would act as general law enforcement in emergency scenarios, Sen. Baldwin and other critics advocate for a total absence of immigration-related federal agents at these sites. This sets a precedent for how federal resources are balanced against state-run election processes. If ICE agents were deployed, it would mark a significant interaction between immigration enforcement and the voting process, which is generally managed by local officials.
The knock-on effects could involve changes to how local police and federal agencies coordinate on election day security. Currently, an ICE spokesperson stated the agency cannot research or respond to every rumor regarding daily operations due to their operational tempo. The next steps include the November midterm elections, where the presence or absence of federal agents will be observed. No specific legislative vote or court date regarding this matter was reported.