Arlington County Sues Trump Administration Over Polling Place Agents
Arlington County filed a federal lawsuit to block armed federal agents from operating at polling places during the November 2026 midterm elections.
The Arlington County Board filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration to prohibit armed federal law enforcement officers from operating at polling places ahead of the November 3, 2026, midterm elections. Supported by Democracy Forward and the Public Rights Project, the suit names the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the FBI as defendants.
Arlington officials argue that statements from DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and FBI Director Kash Patel regarding the potential for armed agents to serve warrants or conduct enforcement at voting sites violate a federal law from 1865 and constitute voter intimidation. The county seeks a court order to prevent the creation of a culture of fear and the disruption of the electoral process.
The Department of Homeland Security denied that ICE is planning operations targeting polling locations, asserting that agents would only be deployed in response to active public safety threats. DHS and the Department of Justice further stated they are focused on prosecuting and removing noncitizens who vote illegally to prevent the dilution of U.S. citizen votes.
