The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Sept. 21, 2026
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September 20, 2026 12:37 pmWASHINGTON, DC — After the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the U.S. Postal Service from conducting mail-in ballot citizenship verification, pro-voter groups have shifted their attention to keeping federal agents away from polling places. Trump administration officials have refused to rule out a presence, creating a climate of a voter suppression threat.
Two new federal lawsuits by coalitions of civil rights and pro-voter groups are pointing to comments by FBI Director Kash Patel and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
FBI Director Kash Patel, was asked by U.S. Senator Peter Welch September 15th, “Do you pledge that you will not in any way interfere in the will of American people when they go to the polls in November?” To which Patel replied, “I pledge unequivocally that I will not participate in your charade of lies,” .
A complaint by League of United Latin American Citizens, Common Cause and other groups states, “This articulation of federal policy follows on the heels of months of comments, guidance changes, and law enforcement activities that make clear that the administration has unlawfully claimed for itself the purported authority to send armed federal officers to polling places over the course of the 2026 midterm election,”
September 1st, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told reporters, “The only reason why we would be at polling places is if there is a threat to that polling place or we’re serving a warrant on someone that we have been actively tracking down.” He later added, “If an active public safety threat endangered a polling location, they may be arrested as a result of that targeted enforcement action.” .
Another coalition of Black, Hispanic, Asian civil rights groups and unions writes, “Federal law expressly prohibits sending armed federal agents to voting locations. Neither the Constitution nor federal law grants federal agencies any role in assessing or policing voter eligibility or regulating election administration in any way. Yet the Administration has repeatedly sought to interfere with election systems and announced its readiness to unlawfully deploy law enforcement to voting sites,” UNQUOTE.
We’ve linked to both new complaints at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources
U.S. District Court for DC – Complaint: LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS v. US Department of Homeland Security
U.S. District Court for DC – Complaint: NAACP v. US Department of Homeland Security
Politico – Mullin says DHS could deploy to polling sites for ‘specific’ threats, arrests
Roll Call – Patel won’t rule out FBI at the polls on Election Day
Related ADM Reports:
American Democracy Minute – U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Block on Trump’s USPS Mail-In Ballot Rules for the Midterms, But Three Justices Leave Door Open for Future Litigation
American Democracy Minute – Midterm Madness Week: ICE at Polling Places? The Administration Sends Mixed Messages; Some States are Advancing Laws to Limit or Prohibit It.
Groups Taking Action:
LULAC, Common Cause, NAACP, MI FAMILIA EN ACCIÓN, OCA–ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN
ADVOCATES
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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