Steve Bannon Says ICE Will 'Surround the Polls' — Trump Tasks ICE with Tracking 'False Voters' Ahead of Midterms

Steve Bannon announces on his podcast that the federal government plans to deploy ICE agents to polling stations for the 2026 midterm elections, saying ICE will 'surround the polls.' The statement triggers widespread alarm among voting rights groups and Democratic lawmakers. Trump subsequently tasks Immigration and Customs Enforcement with tracking 'false voters,' directing the agency to investigate and pursue alleged voter fraud — a function traditionally reserved for the Justice Department. In June 2026, ICE special agents begin directly requesting voter registration documents and voting records from county election administrators. American Oversight files FOIA requests to investigate whether the administration plans to deploy military personnel or immigration enforcement officials to polling places. Legal experts warn that armed federal agents at polling places would constitute voter intimidation in violation of federal law. The ICE election monitoring program represents an unprecedented militarization of election administration, transforming a civilian electoral process into an immigration enforcement operation.