A vote being cast next to the words "ICE OUT"

Andrea Austria / Media Matters

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Right-wing media are calling for ICE to “surround the polls” in midterms

Right-wing media figures claim Democrats are “basically admitting they're cheating” by opposing ICE at polling stations. But noncitizen voting is a fake problem and ICE has racially profiled US citizens.

Written by Gideon Taaffe & Sage Hodil

Published

Right-wing media personalities are pushing for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be deployed to polling stations during the 2026 midterm elections, claiming it will “fix the fraud” of alleged noncitizen voting and suggesting the only reason Democrats oppose the idea is that “they want to cheat” and “protect illegals’ voting rights.” Department of Homeland Security officials, meanwhile, have put out mixed messaging regarding whether or not the department will consider this course of action. 

In reality, according to experts, instances of noncitizen voting are negligible and the presence of ICE agents at polling stations would be illegal, as it could intimidate voters into staying away and have a “chilling effect” on elections due to ICE’s history of racial profiling and harassing and detaining U.S. citizens. 

  • DHS officials have given mixed messaging on deploying ICE to polling sites in upcoming midterm elections

    • A DHS official previously dismissed concerns that ICE would be present at polling locations. Heather Honey, deputy assistant secretary for election integrity, reportedly told a group of secretaries of state in February that “any suggestion that ICE will be present at any polling location is simply not true.” [PBS, 2/26/26]
    • But new Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has not ruled out the possibility. During his confirmation hearing, Mullin said if ICE is sent to polling places, “there will be a reason for us to be there, and it’ll be known why we’re there.” White House border czar Tom Homan also downplayed concerns about ICE at polling stations, saying, “Part of DHS’ job is secure elections, and I’m not going to say, you know, you know, what our plan is going forward, but if only U.S. citizens can vote, I don’t see the issue of what they’re concerned about.” [The Hill, 3/25/26]
    • At CPAC, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche rhetorically asked,“Why is there an objection to sending ICE to polling stations?” He continued, saying, “Illegals can’t vote. It doesn’t make any sense.” [The Hill, 3/27/26]

  • Experts have consistently stated that there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud and that deploying federal agents at polling stations would be illegal and lead to voter intimidation

    • The Brennan Center for Justice’s Sean Morales-Doyle asserted that Trump can not send ICE agents to polling sites, writing, “The law is crystal clear: It is illegal to deploy federal troops or armed federal law enforcement to any polling place.” He added, “In fact, it is a federal crime for anyone in the U.S. military to interfere in elections in any way.” [Brennan Center for Justice, 10/22/25]
    • Voting rights advocates have also warned that deploying ICE to polling sites, or even threatening to do so, could intimidate voters from casting their vote. Potential voters who may be intimidated by ICE's presence at polling sites have legal redress under the Voting Rights Act and “the person bringing the suit only has to prove that they were intimidated, not that the person they’re suing intended to intimidate them.” [Brennan Center for Justice, 10/22/25; CNN, 3/25/26]
    • ICE has also shown a pattern of racial profiling, which has led to a “chilling effect.” A Brookings Institution survey found “high percentages of Latino citizens avoiding important activities, including being engaged in their children’s schools and reporting crimes to police for fear of being asked for their immigration papers.” Since a 2025 Supreme Court ruling allowed ICE to “profile Americans based on perceptions that they look like an immigrant,” U.S. citizens have reported being racially profiled and detained by ICE. [Brookings Institution, 10/16/25; The Guardian, 1/22/26]
    • A recent internal review from DHS on noncitizen voter registration indicated “there is no evidence of widespread fraud.” While the review has found some instances of noncitizen voter registration, as The New York Times pointed out, “Even that number could be inflated. The verification tool has mistakenly flagged some people who appear to actually be citizens, according to some local election officials.” [The New York Times, 1/14/26]
    • According to the American Immigration Council, instances of noncitizen voting are “infinitesimally small.” The right-wing Heritage Foundation’s own study on voter fraud “has documented just 68 total cases of noncitizen voting going back to the earliest cases documented in the 1980s.” [American Immigration Council, 8/1/24]

  • Right-wing media are calling for ICE to “surround the polls” in November because “illegals shouldn't be voting in our elections”

    • War Room host and former Trump administration chief strategist Steve Bannon: ICE at airports can be “a test case to get, to really perfect ICE's involvement in the 2026 midterm elections.” Bannon added, “They can’t work the machines, you know what they’ll do? Just walk up and down, hey, we're going to speed things through — can we check your IDs? That’s what’s going to happen in the fall of ‘26 because, folks, we’re tired of having elections stolen.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 3/23/26]
    • Bannon also said in February, “You’re damn right we’re going to have ICE surround the polls come November.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 2/3/26] 
    • The Gateway Pundit: “War Room’s Steve Bannon Says ICE Must ‘Surround The Polls’ in November to Stop Election Fraud.” The blog added, “Democrats will inevitably argue that ICE’s presence at the polls constitutes voter intimidation, but that concern only makes sense if illegal aliens are, in fact, showing up to vote.” [The Gateway Pundit, 2/4/26] 
    • The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro: “Making sure illegal immigrants do not show up at polling sites is not a horrible use of ICE.” Shapiro asked, “Why are illegal immigrants at polling sites? I mean, if ICE is there — like, if ICE shows up at a polling site and I show up at a polling site, I’m not worried about ICE because I’m not an illegal immigrant.” [The Daily Wire, The Ben Shapiro Show, 3/24/26]
    • Podcaster Benny Johnson: “Can we deploy ICE to every voting booth in America? Would that fix the fraud? Of course, it would.” Johnson continued, “Why are we even talking about the SAVE Act? You don't need the SAVE Act if you don't have a nation overrun with criminal aliens.” [YouTube, The Benny Show, 3/24/26]
    • Fox’s Jesse Watters argued for ICE agents to be at polling locations. Watters said, “Well, one of the demands, they say no ICE agents can be at a polling station. What's the trouble with that, Jessica? What's the problem? If illegals aren't voting, why can't ICE agents be at a polling station?” [Fox News, The Five, 3/23/26]
    • Newsmax host Carl Higbie said, “ICE at polling places shouldn’t be a problem, because illegals shouldn’t be voting in our elections.” [Newsmax, Carl Higbie Frontline, 2/2/26] 
    • Radio host Tony Katz: “Why aren’t ICE agents at polling places? Why aren't we ensuring that Americans vote?” [Newsmax, Carl Higbie Frontline, 3/3/26] 

  • Right-wing media claim Democrats are “basically admitting they're cheating” by opposing ICE at polling stations because they want to “protect illegals’ voting rights.”

    • On his prime-time show, Jesse Watters said Democrats are “basically admitting they’re cheating” by opposing ICE at polling locations. [Fox News, Jesse Watters Primetime, 3/23/26]
    • Former Trump FBI deputy director and podcaster Dan Bongino claimed “Democrats don’t want any immigration enforcement anywhere near polling locations” because “they want to cheat.” Bongino also argued that Democrats are “so concerned about this” because “they like the cheating.” [Rumble, The Dan Bongino Show, 3/5/26] 
    • In an op-ed for The Daily Wire, Matt Walsh claimed House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ opposition to ICE at polling stations is about “ensuring that tens of millions of illegal aliens can vote in the next election.” Walsh wrote: “He desperately wants ICE to stay very far away from *polling stations,* in particular. He says it several times. Why might that be? Who exactly would be intimidated by the presence of a federal immigration officer at a polling station? Who would choose to stay at home, in hiding, rather than get anywhere near an ICE agent?” He continued, “Jeffries is simply too dumb to realize how transparent he’s being here. His overriding concern — and the concern of his party — is ensuring that tens of millions of illegal aliens can vote in the next election.” [The Daily Wire, 3/23/26]
    • On Newsmax, American Principles Project President Terry Schilling said Democrats “can deal with ICE agents at every single polling location across the country” if they continue to oppose the SAVE Act. Schilling also claimed that Democrats are “pushing illegals to the polls.” [Newsmax, The Right Squad, 2/11/26] 
    • While previewing an upcoming interview with Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), Newsmax host Ed Henry suggested that Democrats are “so concerned about ICE potentially being at the polls in November” because “maybe they don’t want election integrity.” [Newsmax, Ed Henry The Big Take, 3/3/26] 
    • One America News host Dan Ball claimed Democrats oppose ICE agents at polling sites because they want to “protect illegals’ voting rights.” Ball continued, “Otherwise, why would you give a rat's you-know-what if ICE goes to a polling station to look for illegals? They shouldn't be voting.” [One America News, Real America with Dan Ball, 3/9/26]
    • Newsmax host Rob Finnerty suggested Democrats don’t want ICE at polling sites because then “illegal aliens” won’t be able to vote for them. Finnerty stated, “ICE can't be at polling sites because how are illegal aliens going to vote if ICE is arresting people at polling sites?” [Newsmax, Finnerty, 3/10/26]
    • Newsmax host David Harris Jr. said, “I really hope ICE is at every single voting poll around the country come voting time.” Harris Jr. also claimed Democrats “don’t want to have the people that shouldn’t be here in the first place interfered while they go cast their votes.” [Newsmax, David Harris Jr. The Pulse, 3/11/26] 
    • Right-wing blog Townhall claimed Democrats are “more than willing to withhold funding from DHS,” despite terror attacks, “all to ensure that illegals are freely able to go to polling sites.” The blog criticized Democrats in a piece titled “Despite Terror Attacks, Dems Vow to Continue DHS Shut Down to Block ICE From Polling Sites.” [Townhall, 3/9/26]
    • Right-wing blog RedState criticized Democrats who oppose ICE at polling stations, writing, “Why would you not want ICE to be keeping illegal aliens out of polling places? Unless you had some other reason for wanting illegal aliens at polling places, Democrats?” The blog added, “You keep the illegal aliens out of the polling places, and ICE doesn't need to be there. Will the Democrats commit to that? Why are they placing illegal aliens over the American people?” [RedState, 3/9/26]