Arlington County sues to block armed agents from election sites

Arlington County has sued the Trump administration, asking a federal court to block armed federal agents from operating at or near polling places and other election sites during the 2026 midterm elections. The suit challenges policies the county says could authorize enforcement operations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI at voting locations. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the complaint names the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, the Department of Justice and the FBI, along with federal officials. Arlington seeks to have the challenged policies set aside and to bar agents from polling places, early-voting sites and ballot drop boxes. The court had not set an initial appearance date in the reporting. The county argues the policies exceed federal authority, violate federal law and intrude on state and local governments’ ability to administer elections. Those are allegations in the lawsuit, not findings by a court. The complaint cites an 1865 federal statute restricting armed federal personnel at polling sites, with an exception for repelling armed enemies of the United States. Arlington points to statements made in...