Surge in ICE raids is aimed at discouraging voter turnout, immigration advocates say

Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times on Oct 16, 2026

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LOS ANGELES — Amid reports of a surge in federal immigration raids, Los Angeles leaders and immigration advocates said Friday that the efforts appear aimed at discouraging turnout in the midterm elections, and urged voters not to be intimidated.

"The timing of these actions, just weeks before the midterm elections, is no accident," said Jeannette Zanipatin, policy director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. "These tactics seek to silence immigrant communities, suppress civic participation, and divide our neighborhoods."

CHIRLA's executive director, Angelica Salas, blamed the Republican Trump administration for seeking to discourage voting and said her organizations and others will send legal observers to the polls across the state as part of the Can't Stop California coalition.

"As threats of intimidation from the Trump administration continue just 18 days before the election date, do not let anyone convince you that your voice does not matter." Salas said at a news conference in downtown Los Angeles. "We're protecting our people. We're also protecting our people's ability to participate in the elections. California organizes itself. That is why we are a progressive, pro-immigrant state."

The Trump adminstration's Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sending armed federal agents to election sites is illegal, and the Department of Homeland Security previously said it would not send agents to the polls, saying the rhetoric to the contrary is "fearmongering," according to the Associated Press. In May, President Donald Trump said he would "do anything necessary to make sure we have honest elections" when asked about sending immigration agents to voting sites.

In California, mail-in ballots have already been sent out and can be returned before Election Day Nov. 3, but immigration advocates have raised concerns that increased immigration raid activity could intimidate people from showing up at the polls. She added that they saw more people detained by immigration officials this summer compared to last year.

The reported increased immigration raids now come at a time when the federal government has targeted the state's election process. On Thursday, the Justice Department sued California over claims of voter fraud, and accused the state of counting ballots from "likely noncitizens."

At the news conference, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she was committed to protecting immigrants, and accused Trump of using raids as a distraction from his unpopular position on the war in Iran and skyrocketing gas prices.

"With an election just weeks away, Trump is trying to distract you from his record. Prices are rising because of his reckless tariffs, and gas prices are through the roof because of this war," Bass said. "He's flailing and putting immigrant communities at risk to change the subject, and we've seen it before."

Bass encouraged voters to submit their ballots by mail to avoid in-person voting if they were afraid. She said she was working to increase protections, including using the Los Angeles Police Department to document federal enforcement activity.

Councilmember Imelda Padilla said her district, which includes the northeast San Fernando Valley, has been hit the hardest.

"There is video all over showcasing the madness, chaos, the unprofessionalism of what this is doing to our communities," Padilla said.

She encouraged residents to take care of their neighbors during increased raid activity, like offering rides to those afraid to drive or use public transit, delivering groceries or walking their neighbors' children to school.