EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — With midterm elections approaching, Rep. Veronica Escobar of El Paso, Texas, is pushing new legislation aimed at keeping immigration enforcement away from the ballot box.
On Friday in Washington, D.C., Escobar, D-Texas, introduced the Stop ICE Election Militarization Act alongside Reps. John Larson of Connecticut and Nikema Williams of Georgia.
The bill is intended to protect elections from what Escobar’s office describes as illegal interference by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The legislation follows President Donald Trump’s threats to “nationalize elections” and a call from Trump adviser Steve Bannon to deploy ICE agents to polling places.
“Donald Trump and his administration have made clear their intention to interfere with the midterms,” Escobar said. “His effort began when he called the Texas Governor and Attorney General, asking for five more Republican seats which set off Texas’ aggressive gerrymandering. Kristi Noem has announced that she will do everything possible to ensure the ‘right people voting, electing the right leaders.’ And Steve Bannon announced that the administration would be sending ICE agents to polling locations in November. This already occurred in California during the Prop 50 election. It’s a troubling pattern of using government power to suppress voter turnout, diminish certain voices, and threaten our democracy. That is why introducing the Stop ICE Militarization Act is necessary to draw a clear line between immigration enforcement and the electoral process, ensuring that federal agents are never used to intimidate voters or influence election outcomes.”
According to Escobar’s office, the Stop ICE Election Militarization Act would explicitly prevent immigration enforcement entities, including ICE, from being deployed at polling places and would create criminal penalties for officers who violate the law.
The proposal would also ban non-targeted, non-criminal immigration enforcement operations, such as traffic stops, within four weeks of an election, with the stated goal of preventing widespread intimidation of communities.
Escobar has also introduced the VISIBLE Act, which would require immigration enforcement officers to clearly display visible identification during public enforcement actions. She has also cosponsored the ICE and CBP Constitutional Accountability Act and the impeachment of Secretary Kristi Noem, among other efforts.
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