Illinois congressmen worry as DHS Secretary seeks to ‘protect election integrity’

(The Center Square) – A potential plan to deploy federal immigration agents to polling places this fall is illegal and would suppress voters, an Illinois congressman warned this week, while demanding answers from top brass at the Department of Homeland Security.

In a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., warned that sending ICE or Homeland Security personnel to voting sites would be illegal and create a “chilling effect” on voter rights.

“Even the perceived presence of immigration enforcement personnel near polling places, especially in communities with large immigrant or mixed-status populations, could chill lawful voter participation and undermine confidence in the fair and impartial administration of elections,” Krishnamoorthi wrote in his letter.

Last week, Mullin made the argument to CNN hosts that ICE deployment shouldn’t be ruled out, citing a potential for non-citizens to fraudulently attempt to vote...