Will ICE agents play a role in the 2026 US midterm elections?
Summary
Since President Donald Trump began his second term, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has greatly increased its size and funding. The agency has been involved in activities related to immigration enforcement near polling places before the 2026 US midterm elections, raising concerns about possible voter intimidation. Federal laws generally prohibit armed federal agents at polling stations, but some investigations into non-citizen voting have taken place before the elections.Key Facts
- President Donald Trump is leading a campaign to deport undocumented immigrants in his second term.
- ICE has grown to 22,000 officers and agents, a 120% increase, and is now the best-funded federal law enforcement agency.
- Since January 2025, ICE agents have been involved in at least 25 shootings, with six deaths, and at least 60 people have died in ICE custody.
- Human rights and democracy groups worry ICE’s presence near polling places could intimidate voters and reduce turnout.
- Federal law from 1865 prohibits armed federal agents at polling stations, except to keep peace or repel enemies.
- In recent primary elections, ICE agents were reported near polling stations but left after local police asked them to.
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), part of ICE, was ordered to investigate non-citizen voting in at least nine states before the midterms.
- A federal judge halted these investigations due to concerns that US citizens might be wrongly targeted and intimidated.
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