California, Arizona, Colorado and Nevada joined a coalition that asked Congress to prohibit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from wearing masks.
The states also want Congress to require the federal agents to show their identity and wear agency insignia.
In making the request, the coalition is citing public safety concerns.
But U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials say the agents need the masks for the sake of their and their families’ safety.
The coalition seeking to demask the agents consists of Democratic attorneys general from 20 states and the District of Columbia. The coalition said it believes masked ICE agents pose a threat to public safety, civil liberties and the reputation and effectiveness of law enforcement. Therefore, the coalition asked members of Congress in a letter Tuesday to establish laws that will force agents to show their identity, claiming it will showcase transparency and accountability in law enforcement and better protect the public.
“Transparency and accountability are the foundation of good law enforcement, yet in recent weeks, ICE agents have begun the shocking and unacceptable practice of deploying masked agents to carry out immigration enforcement operations,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a press release Tuesday. “We call upon Congress to advance legislation to ensure that federal agents properly identify themselves and uphold the principles of transparency and accountability that are crucial for public safety and trust.”
The coalition of attorneys general claim when ICE agents wear masks to carry out arrests, they’re terrorizing communities instead of protecting them. The attorneys general said the public doesn’t know the arrests are being done by law enforcement.
The coalition said witnesses might think the ICE arrests are kidnappings and call local law enforcement to help.
The coalition also said that without identification and a uniform, ICE agents make it easy for criminals to impersonate them.
“Officers across Arizona do their jobs safely in uniform without masks daily,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a news release Tuesday. “ICE agents should too. Secret police tactics like this erode trust in law enforcement and allow criminals to dangerously impersonate officers – which is already happening.”
Similarly to what Mayes said, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said law enforcement in his state promotes trust and transparency too. Weiser also said to maintain trust, people need to be able to identify who their law enforcement officers are.
“In Colorado, we promote responsible and trustworthy law enforcement through transparency and well-trained professionals subject to appropriate oversight,” Weiser in a press release Tuesday. “By contrast, secretive enforcement tactics, other than in exceptional situations, undermine public trust, threaten public safety, and violate the principle that law enforcement officers must be identifiable and accountable to the people they serve.”
ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons said ICE agents wear masks to protect their lives and the lives of their families, in a Boston press conference June 2.
“People are out there taking photos of their [ICE officer’s] names, faces and posting them online with death threats to their families and to them,” Lyons said. “So I am sorry if people are offended by them wearing masks, but I am not going to let my officers and agents go out there and put their life on the line and their family on line because people don’t like what immigration enforcement is.”
Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security’s assistant secretary for public affairs, told The Center Square Tuesday that ICE agents wear masks to protect themselves from being targeted by gangs such as Tren de Aragua and MS-13, and other malicious people. McLaughlin added that recent attacks on the character of ICE agents have led to an increase in ICE officer assaults.
“Attacks and demonization of our brave law enforcement is contributing to our officers now facing a nearly 700% increase in assaults,” Mclaughlin said.
The coalition of attorneys general mentioned Lyons’ concerns for the safety of his agents in their letter, but claimed Lyons is ignoring the “severe risks posed to public safety and civil liberties” by the presence of masks.
