Organizers and voting data indicate that immigration enforcement fears are not keeping Latino voters away from the polls. Instead, many are responding to the Trump administration’s hard-line policies by turning out in larger Numbers, according to people interviewed by WIRED.

Michael Mireles, a canvassing organizer with LUPE Votes in southern Texas, said local voters were not avoiding polling places because they feared ICE would be there. He described opposition to ICE as a factor motivating people to vote. The Department of Homeland Security and the administration have said they do not plan to send ICE agents to polling locations, though President Donald Trump and other officials have hinted at a possible deployment, the report says.

Early voting data points to a broader rise in participation. More than 57 million people had voted early by Monday afternoon—10 million more than the total for the 2022 midterm elections. Data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab also showed Latino communities accounting for a larger share of early voters in many states than in previous years.

In Texas, more than 400,000 people who did not vote in 2024 had cast ballots in 2026. Half were Latino voters, according to Democratic strategist Tom Bonier. Nationwide, 3.8 million Hispanic and Latino voters had voted by October 27, compared with 2.35 million by the same date in 2022, TargetSmart data showed.

The increased participation could matter in closely contested districts. In Texas’s 15th congressional district, which includes part of the Rio Grande Valley, more than 12,000 early voters had not voted in previous elections, according to data from the League of United Latin American Citizens. Republican Representative Monica De La Cruz won the district in 2022 by around 12,000 votes.

Community groups say their outreach has focused on explaining the stakes without minimizing or exaggerating the risks. Organizers in Ohio, Arizona and Georgia reported hearing from voters who acknowledged threats but intended to vote anyway. In Arizona, volunteers with Living United for Change in Arizona said 1,000 people they contacted in one recent week had either voted early or returned mail ballots.

Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar told WIRED that speaking candidly at a Latino community event helped make the case for voting. Suzanne Almeida of Common Cause likewise said organizers should emphasize voters’ power, arguing that the difficulty opponents create around voting reflects its importance. She added that participation in democracy can bring a sense of joy alongside the real threats voters face.

Sources: WIRED.