PoliticsDonald Trump Turning ICE Into 'Modern Police State,' Democracy Advocate Warns
Democracy Forward's Skye Perryman discussed ICE's intimidation tactics.
Oct. 8 2026, Published 1:23 p.m. ET
A leading democracy advocate is sounding the alarm on ICE, warning that Donald Trump is turning the immigration enforcement agency into a "modern police state" ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Democracy Forward CEO Skye Perryman spoke on MS NOW and discussed a growing theory that Trump is increasing ICE activity as a way to intimidate voters and depress turnout ahead of midterms where Republicans are widely expected to lose.
'A Police State'
Perryman raised the alarm about ICE working to support debunked voter fraud claims.
Speaking to the network's Ali Velshi, Perryman said the administration was turning into a "police state where the administration is really seeking to truly just intimidate people for using their voice to try to access the ballot, or for seeking to protect their neighbors."
"This could not be more concerning," Perryman said. "This administration is trying to convince the American people that there are mass amounts of non-citizens that are voting. That claim has been debunked by everybody."
"This administration seems to want to pick their voters, rather than having voters pick their leaders," she added.
Trump Ramps Up ICE Activity on Voters
ICE has swept voter records.
On October 7, Democracy Forward reported that ICE swept millions of voter records in a supposed hunt for widespread fraud.
President Trump has long raised the idea of voter fraud to try and cast doubt on unfavorable election results, though claims of widespread fraud have never been substantiated by any investigation.
Other reporting shows ICE was investigating Get Out the Vote organizations trying to help people register in battleground states Pennsylvania and Ohio.
"The president continues to want to create facts that just aren't there," Perryman insisted.
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How Increased ICE Activity Could Backfire for GOP
ICE activity could backfire for Trump.
The DHS's increased activity ahead of the midterms comes with political risk. Half of the country supports abolishing ICE, according to July YouGov polling, and fears about the agency's interference in elections could backfire on the GOP.
Federal interference in elections is against the law, and Democracy Forward has filed a lawsuit aimed at blocking the presence of immigration officers from polling places.
Around 40 percent of Americans anticipate some ICE presence at polling places during the November midterms, according to a University of California San Diego poll.
Perryman Encourages People to Vote and Ignore Intimidation Tactics
Perryman encouraged voters to ignore ICE and vote.
Velshi raised concerns that ICE is being used to intimidate voters and asked Perryman what voters should do.
"We need to know exactly what it is. It is about intimidation. It's about trying to make you believe that you have no power and you have no freedom..." he explained. "We need people to use your power, and one of those main powers is your vote."
Perryman encouraged voters to vote early and track their vote using online services.
