April 9 - DHS Fails to Respond to Letter from Nine Secretaries of State; Statement from Secretary of State Jena Griswold

Denver, April 9, 2026 - Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin did not respond to a letter from nine Secretaries of State seeking confirmation that immigration enforcement agents would not be at polling locations during the 2026 election cycle.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold has issued the following statement:

"Immigration officials must not be used to intimidate voters. Americans have the right to vote free from intimidation and harassment. As Secretary of State, I will always fight to ensure every Colorado voter can have their voice heard in our elections."

The letter followed comments made by both former Secretary Noem and Department of Homeland Security staff.

In February, Heather Honey, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elections Integrity in the Office of Strategy, Policy & Plans at the Department of Homeland Security told Secretaries of State that, "Any suggestion that ICE is going to be present at polling places is simply disinformation. There will be no ICE presence at polling locations."

Former Secretary Noem then appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee in March and stated, "There are no plans to have ICE officers at our polling locations."

The letter from Secretaries of State asked for confirmation in writing that the official position of both the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Mullin himself is that ICE will not have a presence at polling locations during the 2026 election cycle.

Letter signatories include:

• Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
• Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas
• Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias
• Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
• Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon
• New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver
• Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read
• Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore
• Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs

Full letter sent by nine Secretaries of State to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin (PDF)