Denver And Advocacy Groups Sue To Block Armed ICE Presence At U.S. Polling Places
Denver and UnidosUS, LULAC and Common Cause sued in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to block the deployment of armed ICE officers to U.S. polling places ahead of the November 2026 midterms.[1]
The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan.[1] The complaint specifically targets remarks by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and a DHS statement on September 1 that said ICE could be deployed to polling places for "specific threats" or to serve warrants.[1] Plaintiffs argue DHS adopted the polling-place policy without a "reasoned decisionmaking process" and say the presence of armed ICE officers would illegally disrupt voting and local election administration.[1] They are asking a judge to issue an order to preemptively block the Trump administration from deploying ICE agents to voting sites during the midterms.[2]
On September 1, 2026, Mullin's comments and the DHS statement prompted the legal challenge, the complaint says.[1] The filing cites reporting that more than 170 U.S. citizens have been detained by ICE and references a December 2025 report finding Latinos were disproportionately targeted in ICE operations.[1] Plaintiffs say those disparities and the rapid announcement of a polling-place policy show DHS failed to follow the reasoned decisionmaking required by law.[1]
MS NOW says this appears to be the first lawsuit filed directly challenging DHS over the potential deployment of ICE officers to polling locations ahead of the 2026 midterms.[1] CBS News framed the suit as seeking a nationwide, preemptive court order to prevent ICE agents from being sent to voting sites during the November elections.[2]
Show source details & analysis (3 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, September 10, 2026, the city of Denver joined UnidosUS, LULAC and Common Cause in filing a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the potential deployment of ICE at polling places.
- The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan, a Biden appointee.
- The complaint specifically targets remarks by DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and DHS on September 1, 2026, that ICE officers could be deployed to polling places for “specific threats” or to serve warrants.
- Plaintiffs say DHS adopted the polling-place policy without a “reasoned decisionmaking process” and argue the presence of armed ICE officers would illegally disrupt voting and local election administration.
- The complaint cites ProPublica findings that more than 170 U.S. citizens have been detained by ICE and references a December 2025 report concluding Latinos are disproportionately targeted in ICE operations.
- MS NOW notes this appears to be the first lawsuit filed directly challenging DHS over the potential deployment of ICE officers to polling locations ahead of the 2026 midterms.
- CBS News reported on Thursday, September 10, 2026, that the suit seeks a court order to preemptively block the Trump administration from deploying ICE agents to polling/voting sites during the November 2026 midterm elections, framing the requested relief specifically as an order preventing ICE agents from being sent to voting sites.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- CBS News reports on September 10, 2026, that a lawsuit has been filed seeking a court order to preemptively block the Trump administration from deploying ICE agents to polling places during the November 2026 elections.
- The CBS segment frames the requested relief specifically as an order preventing ICE agents from being sent to voting sites for the midterms, underscoring the case's national election context.
- On Thursday, September 10, 2026, the city of Denver joined UnidosUS, LULAC and Common Cause in filing the ICE polling-place lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
- The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan, a Biden appointee.
- The complaint specifically targets remarks by DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and DHS on September 1, 2026, stating ICE officers could be deployed to polling places for "specific threats" or to serve warrants.
- Plaintiffs argue DHS adopted this polling-place policy without a "reasoned decisionmaking process" and say the presence of armed ICE officers would illegally disrupt voting and local election administration.
- The complaint cites ProPublica findings that more than 170 U.S. citizens have been detained by ICE, and references a December 2025 report concluding Latinos are disproportionately targeted in ICE operations.
- MS NOW notes this appears to be the first lawsuit filed directly challenging DHS over the potential deployment of ICE officers to polling locations ahead of the 2026 midterms.