Mi Familia en Acción President and CEO Hector Sanchez Barba on federal law enforcement at or near polling places
Hector Sanchez BarbaPresident and CEO of Mi Familia en Acción, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, according to the release
Mi Familia en Acción President and CEO Hector Sanchez Barba said in the Legal Defense Fund's September 18 announcement of the lawsuit that the presence of federal law enforcement at or near polling places risks creating fear and confusion, particularly in Latino and immigrant communities. He said Latino voters have the same fundamental right as every American to cast their ballots freely and without intimidation.
“Latino voters have the same fundamental right as every American to cast their ballots freely and without intimidation. The presence of federal law enforcement at or near polling places risks creating fear and confusion, particularly in Latino and immigrant communities”
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
Announcement by the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, co-counsel for the plaintiffs, of the suit by nine organizations. It lists the plaintiffs and their counsel and quotes lawyers and plaintiff leaders, including NAACP General Counsel Kristen Clarke.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Nine organizations, including Mi Familia en Acción and the NAACP, filed a federal lawsuit on September 18, 2026. The plaintiffs allege that the administration's statements and actions violate Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits intimidation, threats and coercion of people for voting or attempting to vote.
After the quotation
The release says voters across the country, especially Black, Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander, immigrant and naturalized citizen voters, fear questioning, arrest, detention, surveillance or use of force by federal agents when they vote.
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. Sanchez Barba said the presence of federal law enforcement at or near polling places risks creating fear and confusion, particularly in Latino and immigrant communities, and framed voting without intimidation as a right. That criticizes the practice, so we labeled it Condemned.
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- People and groups discussed
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
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- Mi Familia en Acción President and CEO Hector Sanchez Barba on federal law enforcement at or near polling places
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The Dispute Index. "Mi Familia en Acción President and CEO Hector Sanchez Barba on federal law enforcement at or near polling places". First published: 2026-09-29. Last updated: 2026-09-29. https://disputeindex.com/events/3342-mi-familia-en-acci%C3%B3n-president-and-ceo-hector