(The Center Square) – The DuPage County clerk is warning federal immigration agents not to appear at polling places during Tuesday’s primary election, saying such activity could violate federal law and intimidate voters.
In a video message released ahead of Election Day, Jean Kaczmarek said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents should not interfere with voting in the county.
“Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE, will not be allowed to interfere with DuPage County elections in any way,” Kaczmarek said. “It is a federal crime for the military or federal agents to interfere at elections or intimidate voters.”
Critics say the warning is politically motivated.
Election integrity advocate Carol Davis said Kaczmarek’s statement is aimed at energizing Democratic voters ahead of the primary.
“Kaczmarek is throwing red meat to the Democrat base because she is in jeopardy of losing her seat as county clerk,” Davis said. “This is a desperation play on her part to turn out her base to vote for her.”
Kaczmarek said deploying federal troops or armed personnel to locations where voting is taking place can carry penalties of up to five years in prison.
Kaczmarek said if federal agents are spotted at polling locations, her office will notify election judges, alert “rapid responders,” and use social media to inform voters. She also emphasized that DuPage County voters may cast ballots at any polling place in the county and directed residents to an online map listing all 248 voting locations.
“However you choose to vote, DuPage County elections are safe, free, and fair,” she said. “So please vote.”
To address potential concerns, the clerk’s office established a dedicated hotline for residents to report sightings of immigration agents or other federal personnel at polling sites or early voting locations.
Davis acknowledged that law enforcement officers generally avoid polling places because their presence could intimidate voters but said officers can still appear if they are responding to suspected crime.
“Technically law enforcement officers are not supposed to be in polling places because it could intimidate people, however they have an absolute right to show up if they are called because someone suspects a law is being broken,” Davis said.
Davis also raised broader election integrity concerns, noting allegations that non-citizens appear on voter rolls – often without knowing they were registered.
“[Non-citizens] are not going to be showing up at the polls, their names will be used to cast vote by mail ballots. The majority of the non-citizens on our rolls don’t even know they were registered to vote,” said Davis.
