Karoline Leavitt won't rule out using ICE in elections - Knewz

The White House declined to rule out the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents near polling places during November’s midterm elections, intensifying concerns among voting rights advocates and lawmakers.

The comments followed statements from allies of President Donald Trump suggesting federal agents could be used to police voting, despite long-standing legal prohibitions.

Trump official declines to rule out ICE’s presence near polling sites

During a recent briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about remarks by Steve Bannon, who claimed ICE agents would “surround the polls” to prevent alleged voter fraud.

Leavitt said she was unaware of any such plans but declined to categorically rule out ICE’s presence near polling sites.

“I can't guarantee that an ICE agent won't be around a polling location in November,” she said, adding that it was “a very silly hypothetical question.”

She also said she had not heard President Trump discuss any “formal plans” to deploy ICE outside polling locations.

Bannon’s claims and Trump’s rhetoric

Bannon made the comments on his "War Room" podcast after Trump urged Republicans to “take over” elections in multiple states, continuing to repeat false claims that widespread fraud cost him the 2020 election.

On a recent broadcast, Bannon asserted without evidence that Democrats rely on illegal voting by migrants, naming Minnesota and New York City as culprits.

“You're damn right we're gonna have ICE surround the polls come November,” Bannon said.

His remarks, paired with Trump’s renewed focus on election administration ahead of the midterms, have raised alarms about potential voter intimidation.

ICE not planning poll-focused operations

Voting law experts say federal and state laws bar the deployment of federal agents at polling places and prohibit any activity that intimidates voters. T

he Brennan Center for Justice has noted that elections are administered by states, and the president lacks the authority to nationalize them.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security previously said that ICE was not planning poll-focused operations.

“ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations,” the official said, adding that agents could make arrests near a polling site only if responding to a specific, ongoing public safety threat.

Leavitt’s refusal to rule out ICE’s presence

Democrats and voting rights advocates say Leavitt’s refusal to rule out ICE’s presence at polling sites could chill voter turnout.

Senator Mark Warner warned that the idea of federal agents near polling places now carries greater weight, given recent events involving immigration enforcement.

Scrutiny of ICE has intensified following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, by immigration agents in Minneapolis last month.

Critics have argued that the Trump administration’s posture toward elections, combined with aggressive immigration enforcement, risks undermining public confidence.

Congress is currently debating new oversight measures, and Democrats have threatened to block DHS funding unless there are “dramatic changes” and “real accountability.”

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