GOP Nominee Says He'll Ask for ICE at Polling Places

Maine's Republican nominee for governor told a crowd of supporters that he would ask the Department of Homeland Security to send US Marshals and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to polling places in the state for the November election, according to audio obtained by the AP. During an Aug. 20 event in Arundel, Bobby Charles told a group of supporters that he would ask Tom Homan, the White House border czar, to send federal agents to polling places in the weeks before Election Day. The audio was first reported by the Bangor Daily News. "Here's my secret," Charles told members of a Maine Young Republicans chapter. "I have a friend named Tom Homan."

Homan is the White House border czar. "I'm going to ask Tom, I'm going to actually—three or four weeks before the election, maybe three—I'm going to make an appeal for ICE and Marshals to be at our voting booths," Charles said, according to the audio. On Wednesday, Charles elaborated on his comments by saying state and local authorities who manage elections should have an open line of communication with federal authorities if needed to "prevent violence at a voting place, in order to prevent intimidation at a voting place and in order to prevent illegality at a voting place." He said his point was that Maine authorities should do everything legally possible to prevent illegal voting.

Asked for comment on Wednesday, DHS did not address whether it's having conversations with campaigns about election security. DHS officials have previously said they do not have plans to send ICE agents to polling places. "Elections exist for the American people, not illegal aliens, to choose their leaders," a Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement to the AP. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, said that ICE agents are prohibited by law from being at polling places and that Maine residents can expect a free and secure election in November. Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson called Charles' remarks "a blatant attempt to intimidate voters." Federal law prohibits the military and federal agencies from putting troops or armed officers near polling sites, according to the Brennan Center.