After commentator and former White House adviser Steve Bannon claimed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will “surround the polls come November,” the Trump administration has denied any such plans.
“ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations,” a Department of Homeland Security official told The Daily Signal.
“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,” the official added.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday she has “never heard the president consider” sending immigration enforcement agents to polling locations.
Pressed on the matter further, Leavitt said she “can’t guarantee” ICE agents won’t be in the vicinity of polling locations during elections, adding, “I haven’t heard the president discuss any formal plans to put ICE outside of polling locations.”
Bannon, who is a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, indicated on his Tuesday show that immigration enforcement agents would be used to deter illegal aliens from voting in U.S. elections.
“We will never again allow an election to be stolen,” Bannon said.
Bannon made the comments in response to Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., recently claiming that reforms to the agency should prevent “roving patrols of ICE agents” from showing up at polling stations.
“The level of intimidation that the feds could bring on voters all across the country—if it does not worry you, it should,” Warner said during an appearance on MS NOW.
Across the United States, 36 states have laws on the books requiring voters to show a valid photo ID or proof of residency, such as a bank statement, to vote, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Many states have improved the security of their elections in recent years, according to The Heritage Foundation, which operates an election integrity scorecard to track the security of elections across the U.S.
Hawaii, Nevada, California, Vermont, and Oregon rank the lowest in election integrity “largely because of their lack of voter ID requirements and minimal efforts to ensure the accuracy of their voter rolls or the custody and security of mail-in ballots,” according to the Heritage report.
Nevada, California, Vermont, and Oregon are all sanctuary states, according to the Department of Justice, meaning state law limits the extent to which state and local law enforcement can cooperate with federal immigration officials.
Bannon’s comments regarding ICE agents come as the Trump administration continues to carry out immigration operations in states across the U.S. aimed at arresting and deporting illegal aliens, with a priority being placed on the removal of criminal illegal aliens.
