White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has stated she is unable to ‘guarantee’ that ICE agents will not be present outside polling locations during the upcoming midterm elections.
In a press briefing held on February 5, a reporter posed a question to Leavitt regarding the potential presence of ICE enforcement at polling stations for the midterm elections scheduled for November 3.
This inquiry was prompted by comments from former White House strategist Steve Bannon, who suggested on his podcast earlier in the week, “We’re going to have ICE surround the polls come November.”
In an attempt to clarify whether this scenario was being considered, the reporter questioned Leavitt about its relevance on President Donald Trump’s agenda. She responded by saying she ‘can’t guarantee’ that it won’t occur.
Leavitt further clarified that the question was highly hypothetical and, to her knowledge, there were no plans for such actions.
“That’s not something I’ve ever heard the president consider, no,” she informed reporters. “I can’t guarantee that an ICE agent won’t be around a polling location in November.”
“I mean frankly, that’s a very silly, hypothetical question,” she continued, “but what I can tell you is I haven’t heard the president discuss any formal plans to put ICE outside of polling locations.”
The upcoming November midterms will determine the fate of every House seat and 33 Senate seats, taking place amidst heightened scrutiny over the current administration—particularly concerning ICE operations in Minneapolis and across the United States.
Early 2026 has already seen at least eight deaths related to ICE encounters or while in custody, including the notable incidents involving Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Although the Trump administration has issued mixed responses regarding their stance on these deaths, there has been widespread public criticism of the events, even from the National Rifle Association.
Trump is facing pressure from the impending midterms, which are set to occur two years into his second term in office. He has previously voiced concerns about the possibility of impeachment if Republicans lose their seats.
“You got to win the midterms, because if we don’t win the midterms, they’ll find a reason to impeach me,” Trump remarked during a voter rally last month. “I’ll get impeached.”
These remarks came as Democrats have been gaining traction in the polls throughout the first year of Trump’s second term, raising concerns about his immigration policies, foreign policies, and economic management as key issues for voters.