UnidosUS president Janet Murguia on sending armed ICE officers to polling places
Janet MurguiaPresident and CEO of UnidosUS, a plaintiff in the lawsuit
UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguia said that sending armed ICE officers to polling places is not immigration enforcement and is voter suppression. She said all Americans, including Latino voters, have a constitutional right to cast a ballot without fear of interrogation, detention or family separation.
“Sending armed ICE officers to polling places is not immigration enforcement — it is voter suppression, plain and simple All Americans — including Latino voters — have a constitutional right to cast their ballot without fear of interrogation, detention, or family separation. This case is about protecting voters, preserving confidence in our elections, and ensuring that every eligible voter can participate free from intimidation.”
Official statement
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
Official statement
About this source
Common Cause news release dated September 10, 2026, announcing the federal lawsuit filed by LULAC, Common Cause, UnidosUS and the city and county of Denver over armed ICE officers at polling places. It quotes leaders of the plaintiff organizations and Denver officials.
Before the quotation
UnidosUS is one of the plaintiffs in the suit filed on September 10, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, according to the release. The release also quotes officials of the other plaintiffs.
After the quotation
The release says the complaint alleges that the administration's policy defies a federal prohibition on armed federal personnel at polling places by authorizing armed ICE officers to enter polling locations for ordinary immigration enforcement, including serving warrants and detaining people suspected of being unlawfully present.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case records responses to the administration's stated or threatened use of ICE and other armed federal agents at or near polling places. Murguia said sending armed ICE officers to polling places is not immigration enforcement but voter suppression, and that voters have a right to cast a ballot without fear of interrogation or detention. That expressly rejects the practice, so we labeled it Condemned.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
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The Dispute Index. "UnidosUS president Janet Murguia on sending armed ICE officers to polling places". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/2831-unidosus-president-and-ceo-janet-murguia-said-that