In February 1865, as the Civil War neared its end, Congress passed a law to bar armed federal officers from voting locations. That law has been a cornerstone of our free and fair elections and has been respected by every administration since. Until now.
This past May in Texas, armed immigration agents appeared in the parking lot of an active polling place. In New York in June, Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents entered a voting location to question a poll worker about her social media posts. Since these incidents, the administration repeatedly has been asked if it will obey the law, and it has repeatedly refused to do so.
We won’t let anyone intimidate our community at the polls, least of all the federal government.
That’s why, last week, our offices joined civil rights leaders to make Denver the first city in America to go to court and sue to prevent armed ICE agents from being deployed to polling places and intimidating voters.
There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud. The administration has offered no reason for deploying armed immigration officers at polling places. Their presence could make American citizens wonder whether casting a ballot could put them or their families at risk.
That is unacceptable.
And the consequences go far beyond one midterm election. Armed federal agents at the polls could intimidate American citizens from exercising their right to vote. It could raise the risk that eligible voters are questioned or detained because of their perceived immigration status, their name, their accent or the color of their skin.
That strikes at the heart of our ability to hold free and fair elections. And now it is up to cities to defend these rights.
When others have tried to use fear of immigrants to divide us, Denver has come together. And we will do the same when it comes to voting.
Denver is a diverse city. Nearly one-third of our residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, and a rich Latino heritage shapes the very fabric of our city. From the vibrant culture along Santa Fe Drive to generations of community leaders and dynamic small business owners, our Hispanic residents don’t just contribute to our community, they define it.
We won’t let anyone intimidate our community at the polls, least of all the federal government.
Denver knows what it takes to stand up for our values. Two years ago, more than 40,000 migrants arrived in Denver, many of whom were sent here on buses by Texas officials with little warning. The city opened shelters, working through two brutal winters to make sure families who arrived with almost nothing didn’t end up on the streets. Retired attorneys returned to work to help people file for work authorization so they could work legally and support themselves. Denverites donated so many coats, hats and shoes that the city ran out of room to store them. Some residents even learned to prepare Venezuelan meals.
When others have tried to use fear of immigrants to divide us, Denver has come together. And we will do the same when it comes to voting.
In Colorado, we love to vote. Our state consistently has among the highest voter turnout rates in the country. In 2024, 90% of Denver voters cast their ballots by mail or drop box. We’re used to carving out the morning before a Broncos game to study ballot initiatives and candidates. We also know how to run elections well. Denver’s elections are secure, transparent and built on gold-standard security. We intend to keep them that way.
That’s why we aren’t waiting until Election Day to prepare. Our election workers are already being trained to identify federal agents, document their presence and de-escalate encounters if necessary. And it’s why we went to court now, before a single Denver voter has to decide whether casting a ballot is worth the risk.
We hope none of this will be necessary. But hope is not a strategy. No president gets to make our neighbors afraid to exercise their right to vote. No American should have to wonder whether exercising their rights could put them or their family in jeopardy.
Denver will not be intimidated. We will do everything in our power to ensure every eligible voter can cast their ballot freely, safely and without fear.
And if this administration insists on testing that right, we’ll see it in court.
The post Trump is threatening to deploy ICE to polling places in our city. So we’re suing him. appeared first on MS NOW.
