Early Voting Rises as ICE Reports Tips From 5 States

Immigration agents gathered outside a Walgreens in Dover, New Jersey, before dawn on Wednesday, and Councilwoman Sandra Wittner fielded messages about a dozen or more arriving. Neighbors across north New Jersey reported more activity throughout the day. Reports of increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations have surfaced in rural Illinois, Oregon, Detroit, California and New York City during October.

Wittner said the messages brought unease. "There was definitely a lot of apprehension and fear," she said. "We just really weren't sure if something huge was about to happen. People were not feeling very comfortable or safe." She did not learn who was detained or where. The Department of Homeland Security no longer posts timely details of its operations, which limits real-time reporting on enforcement actions.

NPR asked the agency whether activity had increased. It answered: "ICE agents uphold our nation's immigration laws in all 50 states, seven days a week, 24 hours a day." An official in New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's office, who was not authorized to speak publicly, confirmed the city has recorded a rise in ICE activity. A New York volunteer, speaking on condition of anonymity out of concern about retaliation, said her group documents operations, informs detained people of their rights and notifies neighbors.

Juan Proaño of the League of United Latin American Citizens said the timing ahead of the midterms concerns him. "It's not about ICE at the actual polling station, it's ICE at the perimeter of the polling station," he said. "Mass enforcement actions could be away from the polls, but with social media and the news, it could be enough to dissuade somebody from actually going out to vote." Oregon Public Broadcasting reporter Troy Brynelson said activity in Portland has concentrated in commercial areas. "I'd say it's a noticeable uptick compared to what we've seen over the summer," he said.

Wendy Weiser of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School said the tactics appear intended to intimidate voters. She said early turnout shows that is not happening. "The good news is: it isn't working. Americans are tuning this out and we are not seeing a significant impact on participation. And we are actually seeing huge surges in participation in communities of color, and in Latino communities, and in all the communities that have been targeted by ICE and DHS," she said. Weiser added that intimidation at polling places is illegal and should be reported.

Early voting is underway across the country ahead of the midterm elections.

NPR and its member stations have collected reports of enforcement activity throughout October.