Lawsuit Filed Against Federal Voter Intimidation Violating Voting Rights Act

The lawsuit claims federal authorities are intimidating voters, infringing upon the Voting Rights Act, and suppressing civic engagement.

Federal Lawsuit Filed by Civil Rights Organizations

WASHINGTON— A coalition of nine groups, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Mi Familia en Accion, and OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, have initiated a federal lawsuit against the current administration. This legal action challenges what they describe as federal efforts to intimidate voters, specifically targeting communities of color, and discouraging their participation in the upcoming midterm elections. The plaintiffs are represented by multiple legal defense organizations, including the Legal Defense Fund and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF).

The lawsuit contends that federal authorities have unlawfully asserted authority over voting sites, dismantled protective measures against election interference, and threatened the presence of federal agents at polling locations. These actions are alleged to violate Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits intimidation and coercion related to voting. The suit further claims that these actions have sown fear among Black, Latino, Asian American, Pacific Islander, immigrant, and naturalized citizen voters.

This legal challenge coincides with statements from federal officials about potentially deploying federal law enforcement to polling sites during the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. Recent actions by the government, including immigration enforcement at sensitive locations, have also raised concerns about voter intimidation.

The lawsuit seeks judicial intervention to prevent the federal government from deploying law enforcement agents at polling places, arguing that such actions undermine public trust and deter eligible voters from participating in elections.

Statements from Co-Counsel

"All American voters have the sacred right to have a voice in our democracy, and should be able to exercise that right freely and without fear," said Janai Nelson, President and Director-Counsel of the Legal Defense Fund. "Using federal law enforcement as a scare tactic to target and intimidate Black communities is illegal and antithetical to the promise of a multiracial democracy that was enshrined in the Voting Rights Act. Neither Black, Latino, Asian, or any other voters nor any other communities should ever again face the threats of terror and intimidation at the ballot box that defined the Jim Crow era."

"When the federal government puts fear between people and the ballot box, that is voter intimidation—plain and simple," said Bethany Li, Executive Director of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. "We are experiencing a level of voter intimidation like we haven't seen since the civil rights era, when local governments and the KKK openly intimidated Black voters. This time, it is the federal government ordering ICE and other federal law enforcement to intimidate naturalized citizen voters and immigrant communities. In 2026, voters should not have to choose between their safety and their right to vote."

"Threatening, suggesting, or even hinting that ICE and other armed federal agents will be deployed to polling locations, contrary to federal law, is voter intimidation, plain and simple,” said Kica Matos, President of the National Immigration Law Center. “We will not be intimidated. When our right to vote is under attack, it is up to all of us to defend it. Let us make our voices heard at the ballot box and remind President Trump that voters pick our leaders and decide our future – not the other way around."

"Our laws prohibit intimidation or threats against any person exercising their right to vote. Deploying federal agents to polling places is unlawful and part of a broad scheme to deter eligible voters from making their voices heard,” said Amb. Norm Eisen (ret.), Executive Chair and Co-Founder of Democracy Defenders Fund. "This is a dangerous tactic in a long list of them by this administration intended to pre-determine the outcome of our elections."

Voices from Plaintiff Organizations

"We reject this administration’s attempt to desecrate our polling sites by converting them into militarized zones through the unlawful deployment of ICE or any other federal agent," said Kristen Clarke, NAACP General Counsel. "The Voting Rights Act prohibits intimidation tactics that stand to deny and deter voters from exercising their voice and their rights."

"Communities of color and immigrant communities have the right to vote, organize, and participate in our democracy without federal government intimidation," said Thu Nguyen, Executive Director of OCA — Asian Pacific American Advocates. "The right to vote is the right to have a voice in the country we call home."

"Voter intimidation is illegal, whether it comes from a mob outside the polling place or from the federal government itself," said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. "Threatening to station ICE agents or other federal law enforcement near voting locations is a transparent attempt to sow fear, suppress participation, and silence communities whose voices are essential to a healthy democracy."

The full complaint can be read here.

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