Homan asks what Democrats are "afraid of" about ICE at polling places and says "I'm not going to say" the plan
Tom HomanWhite House border czar
On The Charlie Kirk Show, Homan was asked whether ICE would be at the polls. He asked, "what are they afraid of?", and said, "I'm not going to say, you know, you know, what our plan is going forward". He added that if only U.S. citizens can vote, "I don't see the issue of what they're concerned about".
“Are illegal aliens voting? I mean, bottom line is, what are they afraid of? And they say illegal aliens don’t vote. Well, look, you know, part of DHS’ job is secure elections, and I’m not going to say, you know, you know, what our plan is going forward, but if only U.S. citizens can vote, I don’t see the issue of what they’re concerned about”
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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.
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About this source
The Hill's report that Homan, on The Charlie Kirk Show, did not rule out the presence of immigration enforcement at polling places. It gives the full quotation and notes that DHS officials had given conflicting answers on whether ICE officers might be stationed at polling places.
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About this source
Talking Points Memo's briefing on Homan's remarks on The Charlie Kirk Show. It quotes Homan in the same words as The Hill and says he was asked whether ICE would be at the polls. It also reports Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's CPAC remarks the same week.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The Hill reported that Homan made the remarks amid inconsistent answers from the Trump administration about whether ICE officers would be sent to polling sites, and that Democrats had said they see any such move as an intimidation tactic.
After the quotation
The Hill noted that in a recent call with secretaries of state, a DHS official had called plans of placing agents at polling sites misinformation, and that DHS officials in other congressional appearances had said there were no plans to do so at the time.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is the administration's stated or threatened use of ICE and other armed federal agents at or near polling places in the 2026 election. Homan neither said ICE would be at polling places nor ruled it out: he declined to say what the plan is and asked what Democrats are afraid of if only citizens vote. Defends or excuses loses because he did not argue for agents at polling places, and explicitly declines loses because he also argued there is nothing to be concerned about.
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The Dispute Index. "Homan asks what Democrats are "afraid of" about ICE at polling places and says "I'm not going to say" the plan". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/2751-on-the-charlie-kirk-show-homan-was-asked