DHS says ICE "is not planning operations targeting polling locations"
U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityDepartment statement given to Politico
In a statement to Politico, DHS said ICE "is not planning operations targeting polling locations", and added that if an active public safety threat endangered a polling location, arrests could result from targeted enforcement.
Responding to
ICE officers would be at polling places only if there is a threat to the polling place or they are serving a warrant on someone ICE has been actively tracking down.
“ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations. ICE conducts intelligence-driven targeted enforcement, and if an active public safety threat endangered a polling location, they may be arrested as a result of that targeted enforcement action.”
Reporting
Reporting
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should ICE and other armed federal agents be allowed at or near polling places in the 2026 election?
Since February 2026, federal officials have given differing answers about whether ICE and other armed federal agents could be at or near polling places during the November 3 election. On September 1, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said ICE would be at a polling place only if there is a threat to it or agents are serving a warrant, and DHS told Politico that ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations but that arrests could result if an active public safety threat endangered one. On September 10, 18 and 23, 2026, LULAC and other groups, a coalition including the NAACP, and Democratic leaders and party committees sued separately in federal court in Washington. They allege that the administration's statements and actions violate 18 U.S.C. 592, Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act, or both. As of September 25, the court dockets show no motion for a preliminary injunction and no answer or motion to dismiss from the federal defendants, and no court has ruled.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Politico's same-day report on Mullin's New York remarks. It quotes a DHS statement given when Politico asked for more clarity, and says DHS also pointed to Mullin's comments at his March confirmation hearing.
Reporting
About this source
USA Today's report on the LULAC filing. It lists the defendants as DHS, ICE, Secretary Mullin and acting ICE director David Venturella, quotes LULAC's chief executive and Denver's mayor, and quotes a DHS spokesperson.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
NPR's report on the LULAC and NAACP suits. It quotes a DHS statement to NPR, reports that the White House said in response to the lawsuit that it has repeatedly addressed the issue and that the president has not discussed plans for ICE to be at polling places, and includes remarks from Denver's clerk and recorder and from counsel for the plaintiffs.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Politico asked DHS for more clarity on Mullin's remarks about ICE at polling places.
After the quotation
DHS gave a similar statement to USA Today on September 10 and to NPR on September 18.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The fixed reference point is the administration's stated or threatened use of ICE at or near polling places. DHS said ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations, and also said arrests could result if an active public safety threat endangered one. That pairs a denial of a planned presence with an express condition under which enforcement could occur, the same position as Mullin's. The closest alternative, denies, loses because the second sentence reserves enforcement at a polling location.
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The Dispute Index. "DHS says ICE "is not planning operations targeting polling locations"". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/2693-in-a-statement-to-politico-dhs-said-ice