Maine seeks confirmation that ICE agents will not be at the polls

AUGUSTA, Maine (WMTW) - Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is one of nine Secretaries of State who sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security nominee Markwayne Mullin on Tuesday seeking confirmation that ICE agents will not be deployed to polling locations during the 2026 election cycle.

On Feb. 25, Heather Honey, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elections Integrity in the Office of Strategy, Policy & Plans at the Department of Homeland Security, said “Any mention of ICE at a polling location is simply misinformation. ICE will not be at any polling location during this election cycle.”

On March 3, now-former Secretary Kristi Noem told the Senate Judiciary Committee, “There are no plans to have ICE officers at our polling locations.”

The letter Tuesday asks for confirmation in writing.

“We have heard concerns from many of our constituents about potential voter intimidation that would arise from an armed law enforcement presence at polling locations. As such, we believe it is in the public interest to have a clear understanding of this policy from your office,” the secretaries wrote.

The letter is also signed by the Secretaries of State from Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington.

“That we even have to ask for written assurances that the federal government won’t deploy armed agents to the polls is a sad and frightening sign of the times we’re in,” said Bellows. “The Constitution and laws could not be more clear that armed federal agents are prohibited in polling places, but then it would also not be the first unlawful attempt by the administration to interfere with the states’ rights and ability to administer elections.”