California bill would block immigration agents near polling sites

Source: Politico

02/20/2026 12:51 AM EST


SACRAMENTO, California — Two California lawmakers introduced legislation late Thursday that would ban federal immigration enforcement outside polling places, the latest maneuver in the state’s ongoing battles with the Trump administration over both immigration and elections administration.

The proposal comes after the Trump administration this month declined to rule out the possibility of deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents near polling sites during the midterm elections. State Sen. Tom Umberg said the measure is designed to block any interference from ICE officers at the polls in November. It follows the lead of Democratic senators in Washington, including California Sen. Adam Schiff, who have raised alarms over the possibility.

“Our state is facing serious threats from the Trump administration, and we will not treat them as idle or hypothetical,” Umberg said in a prepared statement. “California has both the constitutional right and responsibility to run our own safe and secure elections, and we intend to do exactly that.”

If passed by the Democratic-controlled state legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the legislation, coauthored by state Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, would also allow county officials to open vote centers early, increase the amount of ballot drop boxes in the state, and allow them to extend polling place hours if election officials determine that federal immigration officers interfered with voting. Buffer zones around voting centers where political activity is not allowed would be extended to 200 feet, double the current distance.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/20/california-bill-would-block-immigration-agents-near-polling-sites-00790490