Federal Presence at US Polls Could Intimidate Voters

The United States Justice Department announced plans earlier this month to deploy at least 1,000 federal officers to polling places during the upcoming midterm elections. While such deployments are not without precedent, federal officers previously deployed during elections have been tasked with enforcing federal statutes that protect the right to vote and prohibit voter intimidation and suppression. This time, the Trump administration has cast the effort in a manner that is likely to intimidate naturalized immigrant and non-English speaking communities. Letters sent to local officials warned that they face criminal charges for allowing non-citizens to vote, coinciding with the administration’s advancement of largely debunked claims of widespread non-citizen voting in US elections. US Attorney General Todd Blanche and Director of Homeland Security Markwayne Millin have also endorsed the notion of deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other federal agents to polling locations. It is illegal under US law for federal agents to engage in voter intimidation. While the administration suggests that ICE deployment to polling stations will not affect eligible voters with legal status, there is ample reason to think otherwise. According to the ACLU, at least 155 US citizens across eight states in 2025, including 32 children, were either detained, targeted, or subjected to immigration enforcement misconduct, including use of force. In recent weeks, ICE agents have been present at a New York polling station and a constituent town hall held in Minnesota. The agency’s implication in numerous rights abuses aimed at protesters in recent months exacerbates the risk that the proposed federal presence at polling places could lead to voter intimidation. This is particularly true for non-white US voters, who are more likely to be stopped or detained by ICE. Local and state officials in the US should remain on high alert for voter intimidation and take measures to ensure every eligible voter has effective access to the democratic process—as required under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Other governments and international human rights mechanisms should condemn any efforts by the US government to intimidate voters or otherwise violate their rights.