Tallahassee, FL — Federal immigration agents have been spotted near early voting locations in two Florida counties, prompting complaints from election officials who say the presence risks intimidating voters during an already tense midterm election.
In Leon County, Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley said two Customs and Border Protection vehicles parked outside the county’s busiest early voting location Monday morning for about 10 minutes. Earley filed a formal complaint with the FBI, saying voters should never feel intimidated by law enforcement or other government officials while casting ballots.
A separate incident occurred in Monroe County, where video showed masked federal agents conducting an arrest near an early voting location in Key Largo. Election Supervisor Sherri Hodies said frightened voters contacted her office afterward.
“I’m not happy about it. Frankly, I was stunned,” Hodies said. She contacted CBP and provided the locations of polling sites while asking agents to conduct enforcement activities elsewhere.
Federal law sharply restricts the use of military or federal authority to interfere with elections or intimidate voters.
The incidents come amid heightened concerns about the Trump administration’s use of immigration enforcement around election-related activities. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin previously declined to categorically rule out federal agents appearing near polling places, saying officers could respond to specific threats.
Neither incident has been shown to involve an attempt to interfere with voting, but local election officials say even the appearance of armed immigration agents near polling locations can discourage eligible voters from participating.
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