DHS rebukes Illinois county clerk who warned ICE to avoid polling places
Key Takeaways
- DHS (Department of Homeland Security) says ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is not planning operations targeting polling locations and conducts intelligence-driven, targeted enforcement.
- DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek allegedly warned ICE agents — whom she called "thugs" — to stay away from polling stations and set up a hotline to report sightings.
- DHS cautioned that agents responding to an active public-safety threat could make arrests even near polling places.
- The dispute highlights tensions between local election officials trying to protect voter access and federal immigration enforcement, with potential chilling effects on voters and confusion for immigrant communities.
DHS response
The Department of Homeland Security pushed back on DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek’s warning, telling Fox News that ICE is not planning operations specifically targeting polling locations. DHS said ICE conducts "intelligence-driven targeted enforcement," and that if an active public-safety threat endangered a polling location, federal agents "may be arrested as a result of that targeted enforcement action." DHS framed its role as one of focused enforcement rather than broad deployments around elections.
County clerk's warning and actions
It has been reported that Kaczmarek publicly warned ICE to "go away" and said it is a crime to deploy federal "troops or armed men" to locations where voting is taking place — a claim she said could carry up to five years in prison. She also rejected suggestions that noncitizens vote, saying undocumented people would avoid polling places for fear of deportation, and she announced a hotline for residents to report sightings of federal agents at polling sites. DuPage County allows residents to vote at any polling location and has 248 polling places, a fact Kaczmarek cited as a safeguard against targeted disruption.
What this means for voters and immigrants
For voters and immigrant communities, the exchange raises practical concerns: the presence or even the perceived presence of federal agents near polls can deter people from voting or create confusion about what is lawful. For immigrants and visa holders, the key takeaway is that ICE says it is not conducting sweep operations at polls, but targeted enforcement can occur if there is an identified public-safety threat. Election officials, advocates, and attorneys should monitor local reports, know the legal boundaries on federal interference in elections, and be prepared to advise community members — including how to report incidents and where to seek legal help if enforcement activity occurs near voting sites.
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