Maine Republican gubernatorial nominee Bobby Charles said that he plans to ask White House border czar Tom Homan to send ICE agents and U.S. Marshals to polling places in the state ahead of the November midterms, according to audio obtained by the . Charles said he planned to “make an appeal for ICE and Marshals to be at our voting booths” three or four weeks before the midterms.
Charles later clarified that his intention was for state and local authorities who manage elections to have an open line of communication with federal authorities if needed to prevent violence, intimidation or illegal activity at polling places. Newsweek reached out to Charles for comment. While speaking with reporters in May, Trump was asked whether he would send the National Guard or ICE to voting locations in November.
I'd do anything necessary to make sure we have honest elections. We have to have honest elections,” Trump said. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has said she has never heard Trump discuss plans to have ICE around polling locations.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) previously told Newsweek that ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations. "ICE conducts intelligence-driven targeted enforcement, and if an active public safety threat endangered a polling location, they may be arrested as a result of that targeted enforcement action," DHS said. Homan has previously declined to rule out ICE officers being present at polling places.
Amid the DHS funding standoff in March, Homan was asked during an appearance on The Charlie Kirk Show about Democratic concerns over ICE agents monitoring polling places. I mean, bottom line is, what are they afraid of?” Homan said. I’m not going to say, you know, what our plan is going forward, but if only U.S. citizens can vote, I don’t see the issue, what they’re concerned about.” Newsweek reached out to DHS for comment in response to Charles' remarks.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has raised concerns about the prospect of federal agents at polling places, saying every eligible citizen has the right to vote “without fear of deception or intimidation” and urging voters to familiarize themselves with their rights ahead of the midterms. Several federal laws prohibit interference with voting or interference with registering to vote in a U.S. election. During his July 15 confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, then-acting Attorney General Blanche was pressed by Senator Amy Klobuchar about the prospect of federal law enforcement officers being stationed at polling places.
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