Top Dem lambasted for demanding Congress ban ICE from polling places: ‘Wait, why...?’

Jay Inslee

Top Dem lambasted for demanding Congress ban ICE from polling places: ‘Wait, why...?’

Critics say the outgoing Washington governor's comments reveal Democrats' true stance on illegal immigrant voting

Charles Creitz Fox News

Published

January 28, 2026 3:16pm EST

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Recently departed Washington Gov. Jay Inslee caught blowback Wednesday for demanding that Congress insert a provision in the upcoming spending bill to ban ICE agents from congregating near polls on Election Day.

Critics ratioed Inslee online, saying he admitted Democrats’ long-held claim — to the contrary — that they do not want illegal immigrants voting or that illegal immigrants are not voting.

Inslee, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, called the ban a "must have" and said it is the "last chance to do this."

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Former Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is shown. (Mat Hayward/Getty Images)

"In the midst of ICE horror, the Senate needs to prohibit Trump from using ICE as a voter suppression tool," Inslee said.

"Senate Dems need to put into the approp[riation]s bill a prohibition on ICE agents being near polling places."

Federalist editor Sean Davis remarked that Inslee should "finish his thought," suggesting it would expose the truth about Democrats’ fervent opposition to Trump-era immigration enforcement and deportations.

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"Wait. Why would illegal immigrants be hanging around polling places?" Davis asked.

Frequent "Special Report" All-Star Panelist Mollie Hemingway echoed Davis, saying that Democratic leaders are "becoming more honest and open about the key role illegal immigration plays in their election victories"

Wade Miller, an advisor at the Center for Renewing America and former top staffer to Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, responded: "Hmmm. Interesting that you (Inslee) think ICE would suppress voting."

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People vote at a row of paneled booths inside a polling location.

Voters inside a North Carolina polling place. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

Indianapolis radio host Tony Kinnett replied, "[quote] voter suppression," above a meme of Bart Simpson with a stunned expression and the caption, "What a strange thing to say."

"Why would the presence of immigration enforcement officers near polling places deter American citizens from voting in an election?" asked mystery novelist Daniel Friedman.

"That’s a weird thing to say… unless illegals actually are voting," replied X user Sean Agnew.

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Author Benjamin Ferrarini responded to Inslee that courts previously ruled that "Black Panthers wielding a weapon and shouting at people wasn’t voter intimidation/suppression, so it’s hard to see how a uniformed officer should be."

His tweet appeared to reference an episode from Philadelphia during the 2008 election when alleged Black Panthers held nightsticks outside a poll near 12th and Fairmount in a minority-majority neighborhood.

Not all responses to Inslee’s demand were critical, as Joyce White-Vance — a former Obama-appointed U.S. attorney for Northern Alabama and frequent MS-NOW guest — retweeted Inslee with several finger-pointing emojis, often used to implicitly boost the original statement.

Political strategist Cheri Jacobus addressed Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., in her response, saying that Inslee’s demand is what he should execute instead of "writing a letter."

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Inslee’s call comes days after Virginia Democrats put forward a bill to fulfill that effort in the Old Dominion specifically.

That bill, from Del. Alfonso Lopez of Shirlington, would prohibit immigration enforcement activities within 40 feet of polls and has faced similar criticism from the right.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.

Top Dem lambasted for demanding Congress ban ICE from polling places: ‘Wait, why...?’