Federal law already restricts deploying armed federal agents or troops to polling places, with one exception: repelling armed enemies of the United States. That exception has no congressional check, so a president could invoke it to send ICE or troops to the polls without approval. In 2026, federal immigration agents already entered polling places during active elections, including confronting a poll worker mid-shift with no threat cited.

DHS says it has no plan to deploy ICE to polling places this election, but its own secretary has left the door open for a "specific threat" and won't rule it out beyond that. A promise with an exception isn't a guarantee, which is exactly why this needs to be law, not a statement.

Senator Slotkin's Protect Our Polls Act closes the loophole, requiring Congress to approve any deployment under the exception. Lydia supports it.

As Senator, Lydia will:

• Cosponsor the Protect Our Polls Act
• Oppose federal funds used to station agents at polling places without congressional approval
• Support making voter intimidation by any federal agent explicit grounds for civil and criminal liability