White House border czar Tom Homan confirmed on September 13 that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has no plans to conduct enforcement actions at polling sites during the 2026 midterm elections.
Homan, speaking on Fox News, stated there is no plan for enforcement action at polling places, calling such reports an attempt to "smear ICE and smear the president." He added that ICE has not targeted sensitive locations such as places of worship, hospitals, or elementary schools in the past two years, though he emphasized that criminal noncitizens remain enforcement priorities.
The clarification follows a lawsuit filed by the city of Denver and Latino and voting rights groups on September 10 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The lawsuit alleges that ICE operations at polling locations would violate the “troops at polls” law, which prohibits federal officers from appearing at voting sites unless necessary to repel armed enemies of the U.S. The law imposes fines or jail time for violations.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin previously stated that DHS authorizes ICE officers to visit polling places only if there is a threat to the location or if serving a warrant on a tracked individual. Mullin added that ICE’s role is to enforce immigration laws, not to interfere with elections.
Homan’s remarks came in response to questions about whether ICE would “raid” voting sites, a claim he dismissed as a “fear tactic.” He also reiterated that no criminal noncitizen is exempt from enforcement, regardless of location, but noted that no ICE operations have occurred at sensitive locations in recent years.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has not issued a formal policy change regarding ICE’s presence at polling sites, and the agency has not publicly detailed any enforcement plans for the 2026 elections. The lawsuit remains pending, with no immediate ruling expected before the midterms.