(The Center Square) – Arlington County is suing the Trump administration to block armed federal agents from voting sites ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

The county board filed the lawsuit Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria. It says federal policies allowing armed enforcement at election sites violate federal law and could intimidate voters.

The county wants a judge to overturn those policies and bar armed federal personnel from Arlington polling places, early voting sites, ballot drop boxes and curbside voting locations. The requested order would allow an exception only when necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States.

The complaint does not identify a specific deployment planned for Arlington.

It cites statements by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and FBI Director Kash Patel as evidence that their agencies have authorized armed enforcement at voting sites.

According to the complaint, Mullin said agents would be at polling places only to respond to a threat or serve a warrant on someone they had been tracking. Arlington argues federal law does not allow armed agents at voting sites for those purposes.

The county says the possibility of armed federal agents appearing has concerned residents and required election officials, police and prosecutors to make additional preparations.

The Center Square was unsuccessful prior to publication obtaining comment from the Department of Justice.

The lawsuit relies on a federal law restricting armed federal personnel at election sites. Arlington also argues the policies violate the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs federal agency actions, and constitutional protections for state and local authority.

“The Arlington County Board will do all we can to protect our voters and their right to vote,” County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said in a news release.

According to the filing, five officials from the commonwealth’s attorney’s office collectively spent nearly 30 hours preparing for and conducting a September election security exercise. Staff spent more than 100 hours planning a separate voter safety town hall.

The prosecutor’s office also plans to deploy six attorneys to monitor polling places and respond to election-related emergencies, compared with the two or three typically assigned since 2020.

Democracy Forward and Public Rights Project are representing Arlington alongside the county attorney’s office. Early voting is underway.