A coalition led by LULAC, UnidosUS, Common Cause, and the city of Denver filed a federal lawsuit in Washington, D.C., to block armed immigration agents from polling places, citing an 1865 law that bans federal troops or armed men at elections.

The suit was filed with the November midterm elections approaching, seeking to prevent federal officers from carrying weapons near voting locations and only allowing armed presence to repel armed enemies of the United States.

Plaintiffs ask the court to declare unlawful any plans for armed officers at polling places and to prohibit federal agents from carrying weapons near polling sites.

The report places the case in the broader context of ICE actions, election monitors, and ongoing political discourse surrounding election security.

Denver’s demographics—especially Hispanic/Latino residents—are highlighted to illustrate potential impacts on immigrant communities.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston emphasized contingency planning, de-escalation training for election judges, possible voter relocation, and concerns about intimidation and turnout suppression.

A DHS spokesperson said ICE conducts targeted enforcement and would act only if a public safety threat jeopardizes a polling location.

Denver is a plaintiff in the suit, framed within ongoing debates over federal immigration enforcement and election security.

ICE divisions include deportation operations and Homeland Security Investigations, reflecting broader immigration enforcement duties.

The case names DHS, Mullin, ICE, and Ice acting Director David Venturella as defendants and was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Legal experts note the 1865 law is historically vague about what counts as a polling place, with little case law, making the outcome uncertain.

The background includes a national debate on election integrity, past enforcement actions, and evolving legal interpretations of federal involvement in elections.