Two incidents involving federal agents from the Border Patrol near early voting centers in Florida raised alarms less than two weeks before the general elections on November 3, 2026.
The electoral supervisors of the counties of Leon and Monroe contacted the FBI following the events of Monday, October 20, the first day of early voting in several counties across the state.
What happened in Tallahassee and Key Largo
In Tallahassee, two vehicles from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remained parked for about ten minutes in front of the Northeast Branch Library—the busiest early voting site in Leon County—at around 10:15 a.m.
The electoral supervisor Mark Earley filed a formal complaint with the FBI the following day and noted that the agency "is taking it very seriously."
In Key Largo, according to Keys Weekly, shortly before 1:00 p.m. on that same Monday, masked agents in unmarked vehicles stopped a car and removed a man at the south entrance of the Murray Nelson Government Center, which was operating as an early voting site.
The identity of the detained individual has not been confirmed, nor whether they were a voter or a migrant.
The electoral supervisor of Monroe, Sherri Hodies, initiated an investigation and also contacted the FBI.
"The mere presence of armed agents of the Border Patrol outside a polling place is expressly prohibited by federal law under 18 U.S.C. § 592 during elections," he stated.
Hodies also underscored the contradiction with the guarantees received.
"In meeting after meeting, we were repeatedly assured that the voting process would be a peaceful experience for voters. There would be no display of force by federal agencies at the polling places in our nation. We are astonished," he asserted.
Broken promises and federal law
The incidents contradict explicit commitments from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI.
At the state election conference for 2026, the FBI assured supervisors that there would be no immigration operations at polling places.
The Brevard supervisor, Tim Bobanic, recalled that they were told "time and time again that there are no plans for any type of those activities in Florida."
Earley himself had reassured his election workers last July: "Don't worry, there will be no ICE at the polling stations. That's illegal."
A report by the Brennan Center from July 2026 concluded that the prohibition of § 592 applies to armed federal agents such as ICE or CBP when they are deployed to polling places.
The penalty may include fines, up to five years in prison, and disqualification from federal positions. Neither ICE nor the Florida Department of State responded to requests for comment.
What should Cuban Americans know before November 3rd?
For the Cuban-American community in Miami-Dade, these incidents come at a time of heightened tension. The early voting in Miami-Dade lasts until November 1st at 28 locations, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The fundamental thing that naturalized citizens must know is that their right to vote is full and identical to that of any other American citizen.
No one can ask you for your immigration status to vote, and the situation of relatives with I-220A, parole, or other pending processes does not affect that individual right.
As explained at the beginning of the electoral period, only properly registered citizens can cast their vote.
If a voter observes federal agents in or near a polling place, they can report it to their county election supervisor, the FBI (1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov), or the Department of Justice (1-800-253-3931).
Thomas Kennedy, spokesperson for the Florida Immigrant Coalition, was straightforward: "For me and for immigrant advocacy groups, it smells and feels like a tactic of intimidation. It is completely unnecessary."
Earley, for his part, concluded with a call to voters: "Stand up, make your voice heard, and go out to vote."
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