Maine GOP Nominee Bobby Charles Proposes Deploying ICE Agents to Polling Places
Maine Republican gubernatorial nominee Bobby Charles stated he intends to request that White House border czar Tom Homan deploy U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and U.S. Marshals to polling places in Maine weeks before the November election. Charles made these remarks at an August 20 event, claiming he would appeal to Homan, whom he described as a friend, to ensure voting booths are secure against noncitizen voting. Democratic officials and legal experts argue that stationing federal agents at polling places is likely illegal under federal statutes prohibiting armed federal presence at elections. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has previously stated it has no plans to send ICE agents to polling locations. The proposal has intensified tensions in the gubernatorial race, which is currently favored by Democrat Hannah Pingree, and follows a deadly ICE shooting in Maine earlier this year.
