Latest news with #VISIBLEAct
Miami Herald
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Do ICE agents have to identify themselves? Why do they wear masks? What to know
Federal immigration agents have been seen wearing masks while carrying out enforcement actions in cities and communities across the country. But why? Do ICE agents have to identify themselves when masked? Here's what to know as lawmakers and experts debate the issue, including some who want to see the practice banned. Why ICE agents are wearing masks The Trump Administration's immigration enforcement efforts, including raids, detentions and deportations, have come under scrutiny since President Donald Trump assumed his second term in office. On July 8, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Alex Padilla (D-CA), introduced a bill to ban ICE agents and other U.S. Department of Homeland Security officers from wearing 'non-medical face coverings.' In a statement on the Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement Act, Booker said that 'for weeks, Americans have watched federal agents with no visible identification detain people off the streets and instill fear in communities across the country.' He added that the VISIBLE Act is 'necessary' and would 'prohibit immigration enforcement officers from wearing face coverings and require them to display their name or badge number and the agency they represent.' ICE officers wearing masks is something that has generally not been seen previously, Columbia Law School professor and director of the university's Immigrant Rights Clinic, Elora Mukherjee, told McClatchy News via email. She called the practice 'unprecedented and dangerous.' 'When ICE officers wear masks, they are less likely to be held accountable for their actions, and there are heightened concerns about government overreach, abuse, and the violation of constitutional rights,' said Mukherjee, who legally represents asylum seekers from around the world. 'When approached by masked individuals, an ordinary person doesn't know who is targeting them — law enforcement officers or imposters,' Mukherjee noted. According to DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, ICE agents are wearing masks for their safety. The purpose is 'to protect themselves from being targeted by highly sophisticated gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS-13, criminal rings, murderers, and rapists,' McLaughlin said in a statement to McClatchy News on July 11. She added that there has been 'a nearly 700% increase in assaults' faced by officers. David J. Bier, the director of immigration studies for the Cato Institute, a nonprofit libertarian think tank, told McClatchy News that a change in ICE tactics, including masking and carrying out street arrests instead of arresting individuals who are already 'behind bars,' is related to the harm agents have been facing. In criticizing the report of increased assaults, Bier said 'it's clear many of the assaults are fake and it was the agents themselves who initiated the confrontation with bystanders, witnesses, and targets who they had no probable cause to believe were here illegally.' 'I have never seen any law enforcement agency have a policy of nearly always wearing masks to conduct routine operations,' Bier also said. In a July 11 news release, DHS said there have been doxxing efforts against ICE officers, resulting in the release of their personal information, putting agents and their families at risk. The agency specifically mentioned recent doxing attempts in Portland, Oregon. Andrew 'Art' Arthur, a former immigration judge, national security expert and the Center for Immigration Studies' resident fellow in law and policy, feels that it is 'not ideal' for ICE agents to wear masks, but said concerns raised by DHS are valid. 'Unfortunately… given the atmosphere in which they're now operating, given the attempts to dox them… I think that it is actually important that they do so,' Arthur said. 'It's not what we want,' he added. 'But…there are, you know, legitimate reasons that they have to do so at least right now.' McLaughlin's statement on the risks to ICE agents comes a week after a shooting at an ICE detention facility in northern Texas on July 4, when one officer was shot, according to the Justice Department, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. Eleven people accused of organizing the 'planned ambush' are now facing charges. ICE agents supposed to identify themselves Bier told McClatchy News that 'ICE agents are required to identify themselves under DHS regulations.' The proposed VISIBLE Act, if signed into law, would require immigration officers to make their name or badge number visible when carrying out enforcement efforts. McLaughlin said that when ICE officers 'clearly identify themselves as law enforcement,' when carrying out operations. But critics, including the New York City Bar Association, are concerned masking is an attempt to shield agents from accountability. In a June 20 statement, the association called for an end to ICE agents wearing face coverings. According to a July 1 Marist poll, more than half of Americans believe the Trump Administration has 'gone too far' with immigration enforcement actions, McClatchy News reported. Others polled, 26%, feel ongoing ICE activities are 'about right,' while 18% said they think ICE has 'not gone far enough.' Arthur, who was a congressional staffer under President George H.W. Bush's administration, said that, based on his 33 years of experience, 'enforcement under the Trump administration right now isn't really that different from immigration enforcement throughout the vast majority of my career.' He believes the public has become 'used to' what he feels was a lack of enforcement under President Joe Biden's administration. As of June 23, there were about 59,000 immigrants detained in ICE detention centers in the U.S., according to the National Immigration Forum, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Washington D.C. This marks a 'record high' in U.S. history, the organization reports. Citing ICE internal data, the nonprofit said almost half of those individuals detained have no criminal history. Mukherjee told McClatchy News masked ICE agents are 'snatching law-abiding people out of their homes, schools and communities,' actions that are undermining 'core American values and constitutional protections.'
Hindustan Times
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Protester pulls gun as ICE raid turns violent in California; search warrant issued, $50,000 reward offered
A tense situation broke out during an immigration raid at a cannabis farm in Camarillo, California. Protesters showed up as ICE agents carried out the operation, and things quickly got heated. Aerial footage showed people surrounding a federal vehicle and filming what was happening. A protester pulled a gun on ICE agents in California. (X/ HSI Los Angeles and AP Photo/Michael Owen Baker) At one point, authorities reportedly used smoke canisters in several directions, which caused chaos and sent people running. The raid had already stretched into its fourth hour by then. The area was locked down. National Guard troops and local police blocked nearby roads as tensions kept rising. Neither side was backing off. Things escalated further when one anti-ICE protester reportedly pulled a gun on ICE agents. A video of the moment was shared on X, with a caption reading, "Will @GavinNewsom condemn this?? ICE agents are facing a 700% increase in assaults! This is insane! More people need to start getting arrested for impeding ICE!" Search warrant issued Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles issued a search warrant for the man. 'On 7/10/25 during a search warrant by federal law enforcement, an unknown subject appeared to fire a pistol at Federal Law Enforcement Officers. Shooting occurred at approx 2:26pm on Laguna Rd between Wood Rd and Las Posas Rd. Reward: $50,000/ Call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324),' HSI wrote on X. Assaults against ICE gone up by 700% ICE says that assaults on its agents have gone up by 700% compared to last year. Deportation raids have been less frequent and lower profile over the past year, as immigration enforcement hasn't been as aggressively prioritized under the Biden administration. Also Read: Camarillo farms ICE raids: What's happening on Laguna and Las Posas roads in Ventura? Scary videos emerge Assaulting federal employees… In a post on Thursday, ICE said, 'This behavior is NOT protesting. It's assaulting federal employees while they're on duty. It's impeding federal officers. It's ILLEGAL. It's DANGEROUS. And it will NOT stop us from enforcing immigration law.' Many protesters argue that ICE should operate more transparently. They've called for agents to wear proper uniforms and stop using unmarked vehicles during raids, according to New York Post. California passed legislation for immigration officers After earlier protests in Los Angeles, California passed legislation that would prevent immigration officers from covering their faces to hide their identities. Similar bills have started showing up in other Democrat-led states. Senators Cory Booker from New Jersey and Alex Padilla from California recently introduced a bill in the Senate called the VISIBLE Act short for Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement which would create a nationwide rule for clearer identification of immigration officers.
Fox News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Border Patrol union chief blasts anti-masking proposal: 'Tone deaf politics'
National Border Patrol Council President Paul Perez slammed the Democratic-backed proposed "VISIBLE Act" in Congress that would require federal immigration authorities to present clear identification and prevent them from wearing face coverings in public-facing circumstances. "Tone-deaf politics, especially after law enforcement agents have been specifically targeted," Perez told Fox News Digital in an interview. "What they'd like to see is our agents get killed because there is absolutely no reason for you to require a policy that forces our agents to identify themselves in public because everybody's got a camera so that they can be doxxed and attacked," he said, adding it poses a risk to officers' families as well. "It's insane to create a policy. You're pandering to people that cannot even vote for you. You know, you're protecting illegal immigrants that have no right to be in this country, and you're sacrificing honorable law enforcement officers," he continued, saying that agents are being tasked to enforce laws that Congress enacted to begin with. "Our agents are never gonna be afraid. They know the job that they signed up for. But what they don't appreciate, what we don't want is targeting," he said. ICE agents have seen a 700% increase in assaults from the same time in 2024, and recent protests and riots have drawn serious concerns about the safety of law enforcement as they ramp up deportation and other immigration operations. A Border Patrol annex facility in McAllen, Texas, faced an ambush on Monday that resulted in a local police officer being injured along with two Border Patrol personnel. Meanwhile, an anti-ICE attack at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, last Friday resulted in a local police officer being shot in the neck, and 10 individuals are now facing attempted murder charges. Democrats have said that the VISIBLE Act, which stands for "Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement," is a necessary degree of accountability for agents amid a major shift in immigration policy under the Trump administration. The bill is co-sponsored by 13 other Democratic senators: Tammy Duckworth, Adam Schiff, Tina Smith, Peter Welch, Andy Kim, Patty Murray, Ron Wyden, Elissa Slotkin, Amy Klobuchar, Chris Van Hollen, Mazie Hirono, Gary Peters, and Richard Blumenthal. "When federal immigration agents show up and pull someone off the street in plainclothes with their face obscured and no visible identification, it only escalates tensions and spreads fear while shielding federal agents from basic accountability," Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., said in a statement in support of the bill, which he is leading with New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. "Immigration agents should be required to display their agency and name or badge number – just like police and other local law enforcement agencies. The VISIBLE Act's commonsense requirements will restore transparency and ensure impersonators can't exploit the panic and confusion caused by unidentifiable federal immigration enforcement agents," the Democrat continued. At the state level, the debate over whether agents should mask comes as discussions about how lower-level authorities should coordinate with the federal government, and to what extent. "Well, I'll leave that to Congress to decide," Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs told Fox News Digital at a press conference in Phoenix on Thursday when asked her stance on the federal bill. "I can tell you I've had conversations, and I understand people's concerns about agents being masked. But I've had conversations with leadership here at [Arizona Department of Public Safety] and there certainly are circumstances where for officer safety, they might have officers masked in a situation. And so I don't think there's a cut and dry 'yes or no,' 'this should happen or not.' I trust our state leadership to make the right decisions in those circumstances," Hobbs added. Other states, like Massachusetts and California, have had lawmakers pitch similar ideas but would likely face constitutional barriers, as it would regulate federal authorities.
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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
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
ICE Agents Forced to Wear Visible ID Under New Bill
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 have proposed a bill that would force federal immigration agents to wear visible identification during public enforcement operations. The VISIBLE Act would require agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to wear legible ID, including the agency name or acronym. The agents would also be banned from wearing most face coverings. The proposed bill, unveiled on Tuesday, was introduced by Democratic Senators Alex Padilla and Cory Booker. Immigration enforcement agents outside the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey, on June 12. Immigration enforcement agents outside the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey, on June 12. Olga Fedorova/AP Why It Matters There has been growing criticism of ICE in recent months for allowing its agents to carry out targeted enforcement operations across the U.S. in plain clothes and face coverings. Some of the raids carried out by ICE have detained people with proper documentation. It comes as the Trump administration has pledged to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history. What To Know Under the proposed bill, the immigration agents would be required to show either their names or badge numbers. The rules would also extend to federal agents involved in immigration enforcement, along with state and local officers authorized to assist in the operations. Senator Padilla told Newsweek in a statement: "When federal immigration agents show up and pull someone off the street in plainclothes with their face obscured and no visible identification, it only escalates tensions and spreads fear while shielding federal agents from basic accountability. "Immigration agents should be required to display their agency and name or badge number — just like police and other local law enforcement agencies. The VISIBLE Act's commonsense requirements will restore transparency and ensure impersonators can't exploit the panic and confusion caused by unidentifiable federal immigration enforcement agents." This is a developing story. More to follow.
