Voters Leave 'I Voted' Stickers at ICE Memorial Sites Across US

Voters in Minneapolis and Houston are placing 'I Voted' stickers at memorials for people killed by federal immigration agents, a symbolic act reflecting broader public concern over immigration enforcement policies during the 2026 midterm elections.

In Minneapolis, stickers have been left at memorials for Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse at a Veterans Affairs medical center, and Renee Good, a writer and mother of three. Both were killed during a federal immigration enforcement operation in January 2026, known as Operation Metro Surge. In Houston, voters have covered a memorial for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a construction worker and father shot by ICE agents in July 2026, with stickers and handwritten messages including 'I voted for you' and 'Por usted' (for you in Spanish). Ronaldo Salgado, Araujo's oldest son, initiated the practice at his father's memorial during early voting, which then spread to hundreds of voters.

Community organizers in Minnesota have mobilized in response to the enforcement operations. Groups including Groundwork Action have trained over 1,000 'democracy guardians' to monitor polling sites statewide, citing concerns about federal interference and targeting of voters with Black skin. The grassroots networks initially formed to respond to Operation Metro Surge have shifted focus toward electoral work for the midterms, with participants visiting polling sites across Minnesota.

National polling shows immigration as a significant election issue. In an October NBC News/Telemundo poll, 67% of Latino voters surveyed said Trump administration enforcement has gone too far, 31% reported they or someone close now carries identification because of ICE concerns, and 27% said they know someone detained or deported. These midterms are being tested as a measure of whether the administration's 2024 gains with Latino voters have sustained.

The Trump administration announced plans to deploy election monitors from the justice department, initially raising concerns about ICE involvement at polling sites. The justice department later clarified that neither FBI nor ICE would serve as official poll monitors, though other federal agents would be deployed.