TALLAHASSEE — Two Florida counties have reported seeing immigration enforcement at or near polling places open for in-person early voting hours.
In Leon County, Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley said two U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicles were seen at the Northeast Branch Library, the busiest polling site in the county, on Monday.
And in Monroe County, Supervisor of Elections Sherri Hodies told news media in a statement she has launched an investigation after there were reports of masked federal agents conducting a stop at a polling place in Key Largo on Tuesday.
Both supervisors of elections said they have contacted the FBI.
“To their credit, they are taking it seriously,” Earley said in a released statement.
In his statement, Earley noted the two Customs and Border Protection vehicles stayed at the polling place for 10 minutes before leaving, and that his office didn’t receive any calls about the incident.
Federal law prohibits armed federal agents from conducting activities in and around polling places unless force is necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Florida Department of State, the agency overseeing the state’s elections, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday evening.
The FBI reassured supervisors of elections at the annual statewide elections conference this year that there would be no immigration enforcement at polling places, one of the biggest rumors circulating about this year’s midterm elections.
Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Tim Bobanic has said they were being told “time and time again that there are no plans for any of that kind of stuff to happen in Florida.”
Earley told the News Service of Florida seeing border patrol agents at one of his county polling places was “very unfortunate,” but he would be “very surprised if it happened again.”
“Voters should never experience intimidation from anyone when they are voting, and that includes being intimidated by law enforcement or any other governmental officials,” Earley said in his statement. “This nation belongs to the people. Government works for them. I will do everything in my power to ensure that our voters can vote in a fair election free from intimidation or implied threats.”
Immigration advocates called the presence of border patrol at polling places “completely inappropriate.”
Thomas Kennedy, a spokesperson with the Florida Immigrant Coalition, said he was hoping it wouldn’t happen, but was expecting it.
“To me and to immigration advocacy groups, it smells and feels like an intimidation tactic. It’s completely unnecessary,” Kennedy said.
Earley said voters with concerns or questions should contact their supervisor of elections.
“Get up, make your voice heard, and get out there and vote,” he said.
By Ana Goñi-Lessan, News Service of Florida
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