DHS says ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations

On 12 October 2026, the Department of Homeland Security said ICE was not planning operations targeting polling locations. The department's position still allowed for targeted enforcement if an active public-safety threat endangered a polling site. The statement followed months of warnings from Democratic lawmakers and election officials about the possibility of armed federal personnel near voters. Earlier, the Defense Department told Senator Elissa Slotkin that it had no plan to deploy active-duty troops or federalized National Guard members to polling sites or interfere with ballots, voting machines or election materials. The fresh DHS statement narrows the immediate threat but does not resolve the policy dispute over whether Congress should impose stronger statutory barriers before the 3 November election.