By Ginika Igboke
The White House said on Feb. 5 that President Donald Trump has not discussed any “formal plans” to deploy U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at polling locations during November’s midterm elections, while stopping short of guaranteeing that federal agents would not be present near voting sites.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the issue during a press briefing after a reporter referenced recent remarks by former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. On his “War Room” podcast released Feb. 3, Bannon claimed ICE agents would “surround the polls come November.”
“That’s not something I’ve ever heard the president consider. No,” Leavitt said when asked whether Trump was contemplating such an action.
When pressed on whether she could “guarantee to the American public” that ICE would not have any presence near polling locations during the midterm elections, Leavitt declined to offer a blanket assurance.
“I can’t guarantee that an ICE agent won’t be around a polling location in November. That’s frankly a very silly hypothetical question,” she said. “But what I can tell you is I haven’t heard the president discuss any formal plans to put ICE outside of polling locations. It’s a disingenuous question.”
Earlier in the week, Trump suggested Republicans should assert greater control over elections in areas he has claimed are affected by fraud. Speaking on Feb. 2, the president said Republicans should “nationalize” and “take over” voting in at least 15 unspecified locations, repeating long-standing claims that U.S. elections are plagued by widespread illegal voting, including by noncitizens.
Research on the issue has produced mixed findings. A 2014 academic study found evidence of noncitizen participation—“less than fifteen percent, but significantly greater than zero” in the 2008 presidential election and “more than three percent” in 2010. By contrast, a review by the Brennan Center for Justice concluded that verified cases of noncitizen voting are “vanishingly rare.”
Federal law prohibits the president from deploying military forces at polling locations during general or special elections, except to repel armed enemies of the United States, under 18 U.S. Code § 592. While ICE agents are civilian law-enforcement officers and not subject to the same restrictions as the armed forces, other federal laws prohibit voter intimidation or interference at polling places.
Democratic lawmakers and voting-rights advocates have warned that any visible presence of federal immigration enforcement near polling locations—particularly in communities of color—could intimidate lawful voters and suppress turnout. The American Civil Liberties Union said in November 2025 that deploying immigration agents in or around polling places on Election Day would constitute “illegal voter intimidation.”
Trump administration officials have rejected those claims, arguing that federal involvement is intended to protect election integrity rather than suppress participation. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard echoed that position in a recent letter to Congress, writing that election interference is “a threat to our republic and a national security threat,” and that the administration is committed to ensuring elections are not undermined by foreign or domestic actors.
At the state level, Democrats in Virginia have advanced legislation that would bar federal immigration enforcement activity near polling locations. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said he does not support federalizing elections and suggested Trump’s remarks were aimed at backing the SAVE Act. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) also emphasized that election administration has traditionally been a state responsibility.
The SAVE Act, a priority for Trump and congressional Republicans, would establish nationwide voter identification and proof-of-citizenship requirements, which supporters argue are necessary to safeguard election integrity.
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