The Democratic National Committee filed a lawsuit Tuesday in federal court in Washington, D.C., accusing multiple Trump administration agencies of unlawfully withholding records related to potential federal law enforcement or military involvement at polling places.
The complaint targets the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense, alleging the agencies failed to respond to a series of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests submitted in October.
Those requests sought documents about any plans to deploy federal agents, immigration officers, or troops to polling places, ballot drop boxes, or election offices during the voting period and certification process.
According to the lawsuit, the DNC sent 11 FOIA requests to components including the FBI, DOJ's Civil Rights and Criminal Divisions, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the National Guard Bureau.
Federal law requires agencies to respond within 20 working days, with a limited extension allowed, but the DNC says it has received no substantive responses or records more than four months later.
"Nearly five months later, the DNC has received neither substantive responses nor responsive documents, not even a list of documents withheld under statutory exemptions," the lawsuit reads.
The DNC asked a federal judge to compel the agencies to search for and release responsive documents and to provide a list of any records withheld under FOIA exemptions.
The lawsuit came amid heightened political conflict over election security.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly argued that stronger enforcement is needed to prevent illegal aliens from voting, an issue Republicans say remains inadequately addressed.
Congressional Republicans have pushed measures such as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections.
Democrats have countered that federal law-enforcement presence near polling locations could intimidate voters, particularly in immigrant communities.
The DNC's complaint cites statements from the administration and actions by federal agencies that it says have raised fears of armed officers or troops appearing at voting sites.
Republicans, however, argue that concerns about voter intimidation are overstated and note that federal law already bars noncitizens from voting.
Critics of the Democratic position say the party's push to limit immigration enforcement near polling places, including keeping ICE agents away from voting locations, undercuts its claims that non-citizen voting is not a concern.
During a tense exchange last week on Capitol Hill, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was challenged by Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who asked, "Will you rule out the deployment of ICE to polling places this November?"
Noem replied, "Do you plan on illegals voting in our elections, Senator?"
The lawsuit does not allege that federal agents have already been deployed to polling places but seeks records that could reveal whether such plans exist.
The case asks the court to order the agencies to produce the documents and comply with FOIA deadlines.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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