FBI and ICE Won't Monitor Polls in Midterms

A government official confirmed that FBI and ICE employees will not serve as monitors at polling places during the upcoming midterms, though other law enforcement agencies may participate. The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division stated that no FBI or ICE agents will be present as monitors, with only one DHS employee from Customs and Border Protection involved in the effort. The DOJ plans to deploy 1,000 workers across all 50 states to observe for potential violations of federal law. These monitors will be restricted to observation and reporting, without carrying weapons or taking enforcement actions. The DOJ emphasized that monitors will not act as law enforcement personnel during their assignments. This approach aligns with longstanding practices of deploying monitors to ensure compliance with federal election laws, such as the Voting Rights Act. The DOJ typically provides advance notice to jurisdictions before sending monitors, and the monitors are instructed not to identify themselves as federal agents to avoid intimidating voters. New York Attorney General Letitia James reassured voters that federal workers at polling sites will not pose a threat, emphasizing that armed agents are not allowed and that voting remains safe. The DOJ has also declined to release the full list of polling locations where monitors will be deployed, citing concerns about operational security and potential risks to the monitoring team.