DHS Rebukes DuPage County Clerk Over Warning ICE 'Thugs' to Stay Away From Illinois Polling Places
The Department of Homeland Security pushed back after DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek issued a March 3 statement warning that Immigration and Customs Enforcement 'thugs' would not be tolerated at polling places ahead of Illinois’ Tuesday primary and urging them to 'go away.' A DHS spokesperson told Fox News that ICE 'is not planning operations targeting polling locations' and said any arrests near a polling site would only stem from 'intelligence‑driven targeted enforcement' in response to an active public‑safety threat. Kaczmarek argued it is a federal crime to deploy 'federal troops or armed men' where voting is taking place, insisted that noncitizen voting is a 'myth,' and set up a hotline for residents to report sightings of ICE or other federal personnel near polling and early‑voting sites. She also said DuPage’s vote‑anywhere system, with 248 polling places, makes it harder for ICE to target specific locations and claimed ICE has mistakenly detained or killed U.S. citizens during enforcement operations, pledging to 'protect' voters’ right to cast ballots without intimidation. The clash highlights intensifying fights in swing and suburban counties over whether and how immigration enforcement should operate around elections, with social media reaction splitting between those who see her stance as necessary voter protection and those accusing her of demonizing ICE based on unproven claims of mass noncitizen voting.
📌 Key Facts
- DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek issued a March 3 statement telling ICE agents they 'won’t be tolerated' at polling places and calling them 'thugs.'
- A DHS spokesperson responded that 'ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations' and said agents act based on 'intelligence‑driven targeted enforcement' tied to specific public‑safety threats.
- Kaczmarek said it is a federal crime to deploy 'federal troops or armed men' where voting is occurring, labeled noncitizen voting a 'myth,' and created a hotline for voters to report ICE or federal personnel at any of DuPage County’s 248 polling sites.
📊 Relevant Data
Noncitizen voting in U.S. elections is exceedingly rare, with audits and studies finding fewer than 70 proven cases over multiple election cycles despite claims of widespread occurrence.
Noncitizen voting remains exceedingly rare, new review finds — NPR
In DuPage County, Illinois, foreign-born persons constitute 20.5% of the population as of 2020-2024, with the total population being approximately 937,142.
DuPage County, Illinois - U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts — U.S. Census Bureau
The unauthorized immigrant population in DuPage County, Illinois, is estimated at 39,000 as of recent data, representing about 4% of the county's total population.
County Data (17043): Unauthorized Population — Migration Policy Institute
There have been no reported instances of ICE conducting operations targeting polling places in recent U.S. elections, with DHS officials repeatedly stating they have no plans to deploy agents at polls.
States are told ICE won't target polling stations in November — Detroit News
Immigration to Illinois has been driven by job-related factors, with 39% of out-migrants citing jobs as a reason, while international migration offset domestic out-migration, contributing to population stability post-2016.
A Decade of Illinois' Migration Patterns — Illinois Economic Policy Institute
In Illinois, voter turnout shows racial disparities, with gaps in participation rates between Black and White voters decreasing but still present, as seen in national trends from 2008-2022 where Black turnout lagged behind White turnout by several percentage points.
Growing Racial Disparities in Voter Turnout, 2008–2022 — Brennan Center for Justice
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