Denver’s top election official is warning ICE and other federal agents that they could face prison if they appear at polling places to intimidate voters.
Paul López, Denver’s clerk and recorder, told NPR on Friday that officials have prepared for that possibility as the Trump administration sends mixed messages about federal law enforcement around the midterm elections.
“We have a plan put together just in case if that happens and it's not going to be a good day for any ICE agent or any other federal agent or anybody trying to intimidate anybody at the polls,” López said in the NPR exclusive. “They're going to face prison sentences.”
López is part of a coalition suing to block federal officers from polling locations. A second coalition filed another lawsuit Friday, NPR reported.
President Donald Trump said in May that he would do “anything necessary” to ensure “honest” elections. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin later said ICE agents could serve warrants at polling places.
In a statement to NPR, the department said ICE “is not planning operations targeting polling locations,” but added that agents could make arrests if an active public safety threat emerged.
The Trump administration’s rhetoric is already “having a real impact on voters,” according to NPR. “Roughly 40% of voters now think it's likely ICE agents will be present at voting locations in their area,” the outlet said, citing a new University of California San Diego poll.
The lawsuits argue that deploying armed federal officers could violate federal protections, including the Voting Rights Act’s ban on voter intimidation.
