Joseph Bryant is an executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). He rose through SEIU 1021 in Northern California, where he served as president, and earlier directed the A. Philip Randolph Institute in San Francisco. Before leading SEIU 1021, he worked as an employment and training specialist for the City and County of San Francisco. His organizing work has included adjunct faculty and community clinic workers.
Role at the time: Executive Vice President of the Service Employees International Union, a plaintiff in the lawsuit
Condemned
Statement summary
SEIU Executive Vice President Joseph Bryant said in the Legal Defense Fund's September 18 announcement of the lawsuit that SEIU members are aware of the threat of federal law enforcement at the ballot box and will not allow intimidation of voters. He said no eligible voter should be afraid to make their voice heard and that members will work to stop such disenfranchisement.
“SEIU members are well aware of the threat of federal law enforcement at the ballot box later this fall. Our hard-working care and service workers, and the family and neighbors they’ll be voting alongside, won’t allow for intimidation when it comes to casting their votes
No eligible voter should be afraid to make their voice heard. Voting is about accountability—about building a better future for our families. When that future and our rights are threatened, our members will throw down to stop such disenfranchisement”
Read the official statement (opens in a new tab)Civil rights coalition files federal lawsuit challenging threatened use of ICE and federal law enforcement at polling locationsPress release of Sept. 18, 2026, including plaintiff and counsel statements
Why we used 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. Bryant said SEIU members are aware of the threat of federal law enforcement at the ballot box and will not allow intimidation, and that members will work to stop such disenfranchisement. That criticizes the practice, so we labeled it Condemned.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin says ICE would go to polling places only for a threat or a warrant, and DHS says ICE is not planning operations targeting them but arrests could follow a threat. Three lawsuits allege that position violates federal law.
