A Donald Trump appointee at the Department of Homeland Security told state election officials from around the country Wednesday that federal immigration agents won’t be deployed to polling places during the 2026 midterms, according to multiple sources on the call. There was silence from federal officials when Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows asked that they make a public statement affirming state sovereignty over election administration. Bellows told reporters after the call that she appreciated the federal government reminding election administration offiicals what role it does have to play in elections – such as investigating threats against election officials. The call, held by officials from the Justice Department, FBI, DHS and the Election Assistance Commission, was a chance for federal and state election officials to share information on election administration and security procedures ahead of the midterms. “Election officials have been preparing for the 2026 elections since December 2024 - where have the feds been for the last 15 months?”

Source: CNN February 26, 2026 07:25 UTC