DOJ says FBI, ICE personnel will not monitor polls

The Justice Department said in an October 28 court declaration that FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel will not serve as election monitors, while employees from other federal agencies will monitor polling places during the 2026 midterms. The declaration identifies employees of the Bureau of Prisons, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration as monitors. It also names one Customs and Border Protection employee, who the department said would be detailed to its Civil Rights Division rather than serve as a representative of the Department of Homeland Security. The department said monitors would perform routine observation duties, including watching polling places and taking notes. It said they would receive training, follow applicable federal and local rules, and be prohibited from carrying firearms. The filing also says monitors may speak with voters willing to talk after casting their ballots. The declaration was submitted in litigation brought by the NAACP concerning federal personnel serving as election monitors. The filing sets out the department’s account of the monitoring plan and safeguards; it does...