Latest news with #NoAnonymityinImmigrationEnforcementAct
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First Post
09-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Why are ICE agents wearing masks during raids? Why has it caused uproar?
Federal immigration agents are increasingly operating in masks and plain clothes during enforcement raids. While ICE defends the practice citing safety and doxxing threats, lawmakers argue it undermines transparency and stokes fear. New legislation seeks to ban anonymous operations read more Law enforcement officers, including HSI and ICE agents, take people into custody at an immigration court in Phoenix, Arizona, US, May 21, 2025. File Image/Reuters Multiple Democratic lawmakers, civil rights advocates, and state leaders have raised concerns about what they describe as secretive and unaccountable conduct by federal immigration agents, who frequently operate in plain clothes, without visible badges or agency identifiers, and with faces obscured by masks or balaclavas. The concern has led to the introduction of multiple bills in Congress and state legislatures, including the No Anonymity in Immigration Enforcement Act and the VISIBLE Act — short for Visible Identification for Support of Effective Law Enforcement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD These proposals, introduced by Democratic lawmakers including US Senator Alex Padilla of California and US Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, seek to restrict the use of facial coverings by federal agents during immigration operations and enforce transparency in how the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducts arrests and detentions. The federal bills mandate that officers display clear and visible identification, including their agency name and either their badge number or full name. The proposed legislation also seeks to ban the use of face coverings, such as masks and balaclavas, that obscure the identity of the officers, unless a threat to personal safety or public health justifies their use. In such exceptional situations, the use of a mask must be reviewed and documented by a supervisor within 48 hours, with provisions for disciplinary action if found inappropriate. Public fear over anonymous ICE ops The issue has sparked lawsuits, particularly following high-profile raids and arrests that have taken place without visible law enforcement identification. ICE agents have conducted such operations outside courthouses, restaurants, schools and workplaces, often wearing plain clothes and concealing their identities. Critics argue that these actions have instilled widespread fear and mistrust, especially in immigrant communities. A group of 18 states, including California, filed a legal challenge in federal court, calling for a temporary restraining order against recent ICE enforcement actions, particularly those in Los Angeles. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The lawsuit argues that the lack of clear identification and aggressive tactics compromise public safety by making it difficult to distinguish between legitimate law enforcement officers and possible impersonators. 'The confusion and distrust sown by defendants' unlawful law enforcement practices has thus compromised public safety,' the lawsuit states. The lawsuit further claims that such operations have made cooperation with local law enforcement more difficult, as the public is unsure whether those conducting stops are officers or criminals posing as federal agents. California state law already requires officers in uniform to wear a badge, nameplate, or device that clearly displays their identity. But state laws cannot regulate the conduct of federal officers, limiting the ability of local governments to hold masked ICE agents accountable if something goes wrong. In one incident, Padilla himself was forcibly removed and briefly handcuffed by federal agents at a public event after attempting to question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about enforcement tactics. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) is held down on the floor before being handcuffed by security officers after he attempted to ask a question during US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's press conference, in Los Angeles, California, US, June 12, 2025, in this still image obtained from a video. Office of the Senator Alex Padilla via Reuters ICE, DHS justify masks citing threats While lawmakers and civil rights advocates demand transparency, ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have defended the use of masks and anonymity, citing serious security threats faced by officers. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons has been vocal in defending his agency's practices. 'We ran an operation where ICE officers were doxed,' Lyons said at a press briefing. 'People are out there taking photos of the names and their faces and posting them online with death threats to their family and themselves, so I'm sorry if people are offended by them wearing masks but I'm not going to let my officers and agents go out there and put their lives on the line and their family on the line because people don't like what immigration enforcement is.' The agency has pointed to a steep rise in assaults against ICE officers, with DHS reporting a 700 per cent increase in such incidents. According to Fox News, ICE documented 10 assault events between January 21 and June 30, 2024, compared to 79 in the same period in 2025. This surge has only increased the agency's insistence on operational anonymity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US Attorney General Pam Bondi, testifying before a Senate subcommittee, acknowledged that she had not been aware that agents were concealing their faces while performing arrests. However, she did not oppose the practice, stating: 'I can assure you that if they're covering their faces now, it's to protect themselves. But they also want to protect all citizens.' DHS policy currently requires federal agents to identify themselves during an arrest 'as soon as it is practical and safe to do so.' This guideline, however, is seen by critics as too ambiguous to ensure proper accountability in real-time operations. Mass deportations ramp up The controversy over ICE's tactics comes as the Trump administration has ramped up its immigration enforcement efforts, aiming to remove large numbers of undocumented immigrants from the country. Despite the uptick in arrests, many of those detained in recent operations across cities like Los Angeles reportedly had no criminal records. Opponents of the raids have questioned the logic and fairness of using aggressive, militarised tactics — such as unmarked vehicles, concealed identities, and surprise raids — to detain individuals with no prior criminal background. Civil liberties advocates argue that the presence of masked and unidentified officers in public spaces echoes tactics used in authoritarian regimes and erodes trust in democratic institutions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Storming courthouses, grabbing students off the street, raiding places of work, and sweeping through restaurants at prime dining hours are in and of themselves tactics clearly designed to engender fear and sow chaos in the population,' read a letter sent by Padilla and 13 other Democratic senators to ICE Director Todd Lyons. 'Doing so in plainclothes, with no identification of their name or agency, while wearing a mask designed to obscure the agent's face, represents a clear attempt to compound that fear and chaos – and to avoid accountability for agents' actions.' Federal legislation stalls bill While the bills introduced by Padilla, Booker, and others aim to bring transparency to immigration enforcement, they face steep political hurdles. The No Anonymity in Immigration Enforcement Act has not gained traction among Republican lawmakers, and no GOP co-sponsor has yet joined the effort. Without bipartisan support, the bill has little chance of passing in the current Congress. On the state level, California Democrats introduced the No Secret Police Act, which would require officers operating in the state to provide clear identification and ban the use of masks in most situations. However, such a law cannot override federal jurisdiction, meaning that ICE agents conducting operations in California could still legally wear masks unless Congress acts to change federal law. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Newsweek
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
House Democrats Move to Ban ICE Agents From Wearing Masks
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Democratic lawmakers are pushing forward to advance legislation that would prohibit federal agents from wearing face masks or coverings during immigration enforcement operations. The No Anonymity in Immigration Enforcement Act would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducting enforcement operations within the United States to display clear identification, with limited exceptions for public safety threats. "The images we've seen of masked, anonymous people grabbing residents off the street in broad daylight don't make our communities safer," California Democratic Representative Laura Friedman told Newsweek in a statement. Why It Matters ICE has been facing growing scrutiny under the Trump administration for allowing its agents to carry out targeted enforcement operations in plain clothes and face coverings. ICE officials argue that the masks are crucial to protect the identities of agents and their families from death threats. The agency has been thrust into the national spotlight as President Donald Trump directs his administration to remove millions of migrants without legal status as part of a hardline mass deportation policy. Federal agents detain a man after attending a court hearing at immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on July 01, 2025 in New York City. S Federal agents detain a man after attending a court hearing at immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on July 01, 2025 in New York City. S Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images What To Know Under the bill, agents would be required to wear clothing that clearly displays their name and shows that they are affiliated with ICE. The legislation allows exceptions only in specific situations, such as when an agent faces an imminent threat to life or "serious bodily harm", or when protective gear is needed for safety or medical reasons. When an exception is used, a supervisor must review and document it within 48 hours to determine if it was appropriate and take disciplinary action if it was not. The Department of Homeland Security would be responsible for setting up procedures to ensure compliance, including possible disciplinary measures for violations and a process to accept and review complaints through its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. DHS would also be required to submit an annual report to Congress detailing any disciplinary actions and complaints received related to anonymous agents. The bill defines what counts as a facial covering, what activities qualify as an enforcement operation, and clarifies that the requirements apply throughout the United States and its territories. The law would take effect 30 days after it is enacted. "They make Americans and hardworking members of our community who've lived here for decades afraid to go to work, to school, to the doctor, to the park," Friedman said. "This legislation is about restoring accountability to immigration enforcement. In a democracy, law enforcement should protect the public — not terrorize it," she added. The legislation is being sponsored by Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez, who introduced it on June 12, 2025, with a number of other House Democrats signed on as cosponsors. What People Are Saying Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told CBS: "It's for the safety of those individuals or the work that they're doing as far as protecting their identity so they can continue to do investigative work." John Sandweg, who served as acting director of ICE under former President Barack Obama previously told Newsweek: "If you're getting arrested by an officer or agent in a mask, especially if at that point they've not yet identified themselves as a federal officer, it creates a risk of bystanders thinking, rushing in to help, which could create the risk of violence or harm caused to the bystanders." What Happens Next As it stands, the legislation is unlikely to pass in the Republican-controlled Congress.
