Two Florida counties have reported seeing immigration enforcement at or near polling places open for in-person early voting, NBC 6 South Florida reported, citing the News Service of Florida. In Leon County, Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley said two U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicles were seen Monday at the Northeast Branch Library, the busiest polling site in the county, and in Monroe County, Supervisor of Elections Sherri Hodies said she had launched an investigation after reports of masked federal agents conducting a stop at a polling place in Key Largo on Tuesday. Both supervisors said they have contacted the FBI.
In a detailed account of the Leon County incident, Law Commentary reported that the two Border Patrol vehicles arrived outside the Northeast Branch Library around 10:15 a.m. on Monday, October 19 — the first day of early voting — and remained for approximately 10 minutes before leaving. Earley confirmed a formal FBI complaint on Wednesday, October 21, saying the bureau was taking the matter seriously, and his office received no complaints from voters about the incident, the account said.
Source: Law Commentary — Border Patrol vehicles at Florida voting site trigger FBI complaint
Earley said in a released statement, quoted by NBC 6: 'To their credit, they are taking it seriously.' He noted the two Customs and Border Protection vehicles stayed at the polling place for 10 minutes before leaving and that his office didn't receive any calls about the incident. Earley told the News Service of Florida that seeing Border Patrol agents at one of his county polling places was 'very unfortunate,' but he would be 'very surprised if it happened again,' NBC 6 reported. The Miami Focal's account of the same reports added that Hodies opened an investigation in Monroe County after the Key Largo reports.
Federal law prohibits armed federal agents from conducting activities in and around polling places unless force is necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States, NBC 6 reported. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Florida Department of State, the agency overseeing the state's elections, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday evening.
The reports came after the FBI reassured Florida election supervisors at the annual statewide elections conference this year that there would be no immigration enforcement at polling places, NBC 6 reported. Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Tim Bobanic said officials were being told 'time and time again that there are no plans for any of that kind of stuff to happen in Florida.' No federal agency has publicly explained why the vehicles were at the Leon County library, and the Monroe County reports remain under investigation by the supervisor's office.
Source: Law Commentary — Border Patrol vehicles at Florida voting site trigger FBI complaint
What is solid
- Leon County Supervisor Mark Earley said two CBP vehicles were at the Northeast Branch Library early-voting site for about 10 minutes on Monday, Oct. 19, and that he lodged a formal FBI complaint — reported by NBC 6/News Service of Florida and by Law Commentary.
- Monroe County Supervisor Sherri Hodies said she opened an investigation after reports of masked federal agents conducting a stop at a Key Largo polling place on Tuesday, and also contacted the FBI — NBC 6/News Service of Florida, also carried by the Miami Focal.
- ICE and the Florida Department of State had not responded to requests for comment by Tuesday evening — NBC 6.
What is only claimed
- Why the federal vehicles were at the Leon County site, and exactly what happened in the reported Key Largo stop, are not established — no federal agency has publicly explained either incident, and the Monroe reports are still being investigated.