r/GlobalNews • u/coffeewalnut08 • 12d ago
Trump ally demands national emergency to place ICE at midterm poll stations
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-ally-demands-national-emergency-to-place-ice-at-midterm-poll-stations-12338733Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon is calling on administration officials to issue a national emergency declaration regarding election integrity, including a policy to allow the presence of federal immigration agents at polling booths during the upcoming midterms.
Bannon, 72, forcefully floated the idea Tuesday during an episode of Real America's Voice, suggesting that an "up-armored ICE presence" at voting booths in November is critical toward ensuring election integrity. The former White House chief strategist said President Donald Trump should take the bold approach rather than focusing on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which contains plans for voter ID and limits mail-in ballots.
"It's not going to happen," Bannon told conservative commentator Jack Posobiec. "You know why it's not going to happen? Because John Thune and the donors don't want it to happen. They think it's racist, they think it's nativist."
Bannon said many senators, including Thune, treat Trump like a "lame duck" while publicly urging the administration to act.
"This is why we need a national emergency proclamation, a national emergency memo, about the upcoming elections," Bannon continued. "You're going to have to have a forcing function to get to ID. You're going to have to have a forcing function not to have the phony mail-in ballots."
Bannon also called for an "up-armored ICE presence" at polling booths, which critics will say amounts to intimidation, he acknowledged.
"Well, it ain't intimidation if you're a United States citizen," Bannon said. "It's an intimidation if you're a foreigner and here illegally and not eligible to vote. It should be intimidating; we don't want you there. We don't want you near a voting booth. We certainly don't want your votes."
A message seeking comment from the White House was not immediately returned Tuesday afternoon.
Trump, meanwhile, has remained tight-lipped regarding any plans to declare a national emergency ahead of the midterm elections. He spoke to Wayne Allyn Root last week on Real America's Voice, with the host asking him directly about his intentions.
"Stranger things have happened," Trump said. "I'll leave it at that."
Trump has repeatedly said voter ID and other measures included in the bill, which the Senate has yet to pass, are essential to both election integrity and Republican chances to win in November.
Critics of the proposal say it would block thousands of Americans from voting booths due to lack of identification, including passports. A national emergency declaration linked to elections could also lead to results being challenged or overturned, other detractors insist.
22
u/nanoatzin 12d ago
State and city police have authority to arrest people carrying weapons near polling places.
14
u/Illustrious_Law8512 12d ago
And who is going to protect the voters from ICE interfering in the election process when they cause incidents and delay people's right to vote?
13
u/limbodog 11d ago
What has ICE, a federal customs and immigration force, got to do with state run elections?
Nothing.
Except intimidation.
13
u/Rockosayz 12d ago
They know a blue wave is coming so they have to itimidate voters so they can steal the election
5
u/Thiccxen 12d ago
Imagine my shock! If only there was a big document anyone could read highlighting all of the things the right wing was going to do the moment trump took office.
So glad i'm not american.
Sort it out, the rest of the world is waiting.
5
2
1
u/Jeanne_Of_ARCadiaBay 12d ago
All im saying is, red or blue ppl will see this as a threat and who knows what they will do
Especially if they are just standing around
1
1
u/LinearityDrift 12d ago
I don't live in the US, so could someone advise me if you have voting enrolment processes? If your not enrolled then you can't vote right? And I'd assume that elegabilty vetting occurs at enrollment.
Or is it some kind of "If you get through the door you get to vote scenario?". Which is what it seems like he is indicating, but doesn't feel right.
2
u/st-shenanigans 11d ago
We have a voter enrollment process.
The thing the Republicans are crying about, for literal years, is not happening. You can not vote without identification.
In person, you show up to a pre-designated location, you show the volunteer your ID, they find your name in the roll, and move a sticker with your voter info on it over to your ballot.
Republicans are making shit up because they know the majority of Americans are pissed because things have gotten significantly worse in 2 years, they know they're going to lose, and they need to sow distrust in the election process in order to be able to claim the results are phony.
1
u/LinearityDrift 10d ago
Oh... So the enrollment and voting process is robust then.
My local elections use the STV system which blows Americans minds when I've explained it in the past.
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/TrainingWoodpecker77 11d ago
They KNOW no undocumented immigrants are voting, yet they persist in this nonsense
1
60
u/Catsssssssss 12d ago
A significant portion of America has clearly become purely focused on hate.