A notable increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity is being reported across the United States in the weeks before the midterm elections, according to accounts gathered by NPR and its member stations. Weiser said the tactics appeared designed to intimidate voters, while early voting was surging in minority communities.
In Dover, New Jersey, Councilwoman Sandra Wittner received messages early on Wednesday morning saying a dozen or more immigration agents were gathering outside a Walgreens. She recalled apprehension and fear, saying they were unsure whether something huge was about to happen.
The Department of Homeland Security no longer publicly shares timely information on its operations, making it difficult to report on ICE crackdowns as they happen. NPR asked the agency whether there had been a recent surge; it responded that ICE agents “uphold our nation’s immigration laws in all 50 states, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.” NPR and its member stations have received tips from rural Illinois, Oregon, Detroit and California about surges in ICE enforcement throughout October.
Wendy Weiser of the Brennan Center for Justice said the administration’s tactics “really appear to be designed to try to intimidate voters.” Juan Proaño of the League of United Latin American Citizens warned that mass enforcement actions could be away from polls and, with social media and news, could be enough to dissuade someone from going out to vote.
However, Weiser noted that early turnout is surging in the very communities being targeted. “The good news is: it isn’t working,” she said, while stressing that any intimidation at the polls remains illegal.
An official within New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office confirmed that they had noted a surge in ICE activity in the city. A member of a volunteer group in the city said they had seen numerous large operations, or cluster raids, in recent weeks. In Portland, Oregon Public Broadcasting reporter Troy Brynelson said activity seemed to be concentrated in commercial areas and described a noticeable uptick compared with what they had seen over the summer.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The convergence of operations and the election is testing the boundary between federal enforcement and the democratic process.
- Voters in communities of color are navigating a visible federal law enforcement presence as they cast ballots.
- The lack of real-time DHS reporting makes it difficult for the public and press to verify the scale of the activity.
Background
The midterm elections are imminent. Reports of ICE activity have surfaced from across the country, and civil rights groups are monitoring the situation for potential violations of voting rights laws. The administration has declined to provide specific data on current operations.
Key Perspectives
- Wendy Weiser, Brennan Center for Justice: Says the tactics appear designed to intimidate voters, but early turnout data suggests it is not suppressing participation.
- Juan Proaño, LULAC: Expresses concern that mass enforcement actions could produce a chilling effect on voters.
- ICE/DHS: Responded to queries about the surge by stating that agents are carrying out enforcement around the clock.
- Sandra Wittner, Dover councilwoman: Reports that the operations generated apprehension and fear in her community.
What to Watch
- Final turnout figures on election day, particularly in communities targeted by the enforcement.
- Further reporting from local press and monitoring groups on the proximity of operations to polling places.
- Any legal actions or official guidance issued by the Department of Justice regarding election security.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedICE activity is surging across the United States as the midterms approach.OPB: “In the weeks ahead of the midterms, various cities and states across the country are reporting a notable rise in ICE activity”
- SupportedEarly voting is surging in communities of color targeted by ICE.OPB: “there has been a surge in early voting in minority communities across the country.”
- SupportedWeiser said the administration’s tactics appeared designed to intimidate voters.OPB: ““The tactics that the administration has been deploying in communities really appear to be designed to try to intimidate voters,” says Wendy Weiser”
- SupportedProaño warned that mass enforcement actions could dissuade people from voting, even if they happened away from polling places.OPB: ““Mass enforcement actions could be away from the polls, but with social media and the news, it could be enough to dissuade somebody from actually going out to vote.””
- SupportedIn Dover, Councilwoman Sandra Wittner received messages early Wednesday saying a dozen or more immigration agents were gathering outside a Walgreens.OPB: “Very early on Wednesday morning, Dover, N.J., Councilwoman Sandra Wittner started getting messages about immigration agents. A dozen or more were gathering outside a Walgreens, according to the messages she was getting.”
- SupportedDHS no longer publicly shares timely information on its operations, making ICE crackdowns difficult to report as they happen.OPB: “it’s difficult to report on ICE crackdowns as they happen, because the Department of Homeland Security no longer publicly shares timely information on its operations.”
- SupportedDHS responded to NPR: “ICE agents ‘uphold our nation’s immigration laws in all 50 states, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.’”OPB: “It responded: “ICE agents uphold our nation’s immigration laws in all 50 states, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.””
- SupportedNPR and its member stations received tips about ICE enforcement surges from rural Illinois, Oregon, Detroit and California throughout October.OPB: “NPR and its member stations have received tips from rural Illinois, Oregon , Detroit and California about surges in ICE enforcement, throughout October.”
- Partly supportedAn official in New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office confirmed that the office had noted a surge in ICE activity in the city.OPB: “An official within New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office who was not authorized to speak publicly confirmed that they have noted a surge in ICE activity in the city.”
- SupportedA member of a New York volunteer group said they had seen numerous large operations, or cluster raids, in recent weeks.OPB: ““In the past few weeks we’ve seen numerous large operations, or what we call cluster raids, multiple agents going to one spot and then the next,” she said.”
- SupportedIn Portland, activity seemed concentrated in commercial areas.OPB: “Brynelson says it seems to be concentrated in commercial areas.”
- SupportedBrynelson described a noticeable uptick in Portland ICE activity compared with the summer.OPB: ““I’d say it’s a noticeable uptick compared to what we’ve seen over the summer.””