Markwayne Mullin says officers could be deployed ‘if there is a threat to that polling place or we’re serving a warrant’

US homeland security secretary Markwayne Mullin on Tuesday said that federal immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) officers could be deployed to polling sites across the country.

Speaking to reporters in New York, Mullin said: “ICE isn’t there to patrol the polling places. We’re there to enforce specific threats.”

For months, Democrats and voting rights groups have warned that the Trump administration might attempt to deploy federal agents to polling locations in an effort to intimidate voters and depress turnout ahead of the November midterm elections.

…

“The only reason why we would be at polling places is if there is a threat to that polling place or we’re serving a warrant on someone that we have been actively tracking down,” Mullin said. “ICE’s job is immigration, customs enforcement. That’s their job … if we’re serving a warrant we will be where we need to be.”

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  • melsaskca@lemmy.ca
    51·
    6 hours ago

    We all thought that. No news here, just a plan unfolding. Pre-massaging the rage so when it comes out everyone will already have had their kick at the outrage can and it’ll be less of a bang and more of a whimper.

  • Typotyper@sh.itjust.works
    30·
    10 hours ago

    "ICE isn’t there to patrol the polling places. We’re there to enforce specific threats.”

    Enforce specific threats. What a weird thing for law enforcement to say. Not protect against threats. Prevent threats. But ENFORCE THREATS

  • JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world
    12·
    12 hours ago

    Lets see if the american public are as tough as they claim against terrorists foreign and domestic.

    • rumba@lemmy.zipEnglish
      5·
      8 hours ago

      Ha-ahahahahahahahahshshshaaaahahahahaahhahahaa ehhhh hahahahhaha-aah

      Seriously though, we’re not just for them. We vote them back in.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
    47·
    17 hours ago

    Their warrants are bullshit, they’ll find someone with a “last known address” that obviously isn’t in use in battleground districts and send ICE there to depress Dem turnout.

    If you see ICE at your polling place, that means voting is even more important

    • Prairie_Madness@lemmy.world
      291·
      17 hours ago

      I don’t mean to sound dramatic but this might be one of the most important elections in US history. It’s absolutely going to set the course for the country

      • sys110x@aussie.zone
        10·
        8 hours ago

        Totally agree. We’re watching from Australia to see if you guys are still a democracy or not. Signs aren’t looking good…

      • Major_Tsiom@fedia.io
        323·
        15 hours ago

        No, 2024 was. The fascists are in power now. They will postpone this election, alter the outcome or even just ignore the results and declare victory. This one won’t count for shit other than to maybe start a revolution. I’m going to vote anyway if the elections are held, but I’m not kidding myself into thinking that the fascists have come all this way only to step aside because of an election.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
        36·
        17 hours ago

        It’s important, but no more than others. The filibuster means it takes 60 in the Senate to do anything other than a budget.

        We need to gain as many seats as possible ahead of next election. That’s the one that’s going to be huge, because a top ticket progressive drives primary turnout as well as general.

        That’s why Bernie was so insistent on taking it to the end, and Martin has said this whole time they’re not calling it till every state has a primary/caucus.

        Quick edit:

        And obviously bullshit this year, is test run for bullshit in 2 years.

        That’s why we need to show it’s not effective