Bill would force ICE agents to ID themselves, ban most masks
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Masked cfederal agents detain a man after a court hearing in immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on July 03, 2025 in New York City. Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Federal immigration agents would be banned from wearing most face coverings but be required to wear visible ID during public enforcement operations, according to a proposal from Democratic U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ).
Why it matters: The long-shot proposal comes following images of masked, heavily armed immigration agents snatching people off the streets and taking them away in unmarked cars have shocked many Americans.
Driving the news: Under the proposed bill unveiled Tuesday, Homeland Security agents from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would be required to display a legible ID that includes the agency name or acronym.
- They'd also have to include information on their names or badge numbers.
- This requirement would extend to federal agents detailed to immigration operations, and deputized state or local officers.
Zoom in: The bill also would prohibit non-medical face coverings (such as masks or balaclavas) that obscure identity or facial visibility, with exceptions for environmental hazards or covert operations.
- In addition, it would require the Department of Homeland Security to establish disciplinary procedures for violations, report annually to Congress, and investigate complaints through its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
Context: ICE agents are currently not required to wear body cameras, can cover their faces, don't have to provide badge numbers or identify themselves, can arrive in unmarked cars and they don't need a warrant from a judge to detain someone.
- ICE agents operated with vastly more enforcement power, less transparency and fewer guardrails than local police and other federal agencies since ICE was created in 2003.
State of play: The Trump administration's stepped-up immigration enforcement as part of a mass deportation effort has exposed the ICE agents' tactical exceptions.
- Administration officials say the secrecy is necessary to prevent agent doxing and for enforcement.
- Critics argue that other agencies are required to identify themselves, and the lack of transparency is merely an excuse to create a secret police force.
What they're saying: "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," Padilla said.
- Padilla said the VISIBLE Act would "restore transparency and ensure impersonators can't exploit the panic" during raids.
- "The masked bandit is a symbol of fear, and having government agents dressed like paramilitaries is un-American," Scott Shuchart, a former ICE and DHS (Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties) official who supports the measure, said.
The other side: Tricia McLaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, has defended ICE agents' tactics and the use of face coverings.
- She told Axios that ICE agents have faced a 700% surge in assaults against them in recent weeks.
- McLaughlin said DHS enforcement operations are highly targeted and blamed Democrats for "violent rhetoric" against ICE agents.
Zoom out: ICE was formed in 2003. It was placed under the control of the new Department of Homeland Security and replaced the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), which had been under the Justice Department.
- To protect national security after the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, lawmakers gave ICE a unique combination of civil and criminal authorities.
Between the lines: Officers in other agencies are required to identify themselves and provide badge numbers to prevent impersonators.
- ICE has no such requirement, and there have been reports of ICE impersonators harassing people, creating more chaos and uncertainty in some communities.
What we're watching: The pressure to rein in some of ICE's enforcement tactics does have support among some conservatives worried about over policing.
- However, it's unclear whether such a proposal would garner any support from Republicans concerned about upsetting President Trump.
