Federal and Michigan laws limit ICE presence at polling places

Federal and Michigan laws restrict the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at voting locations during the current election season. Under federal statute, armed federal officers are prohibited from polling places unless summoned to repel armed civil unrest, a rule that remains in effect despite recent administrative changes.

In Michigan, state law designates a 100-foot buffer zone around polling places and early voting sites where all campaign activity is banned. Local election clerks and precinct inspectors oversee these locations, and law enforcement officers at any level are prohibited from loitering or conducting enforcement operations there unless summoned by election officials for an emergency.

Although the Department of Homeland Security rescinded an internal policy in January 2025 that designated polling places as off-limits for ICE operations, the Trump administration has stated it has no plans to send immigration agents to voting sites. Legal protections ensure that Only registered U.S. Citizens are eligible to vote and that voters can cast ballots without fear of intimidation.

Read the full story at clickondetroit.com.