Attorney General Leads Coalition Asking Congress To 'Protect Americans' From Masked ICE Agents

NEW YORK — New York Attorney General Letitia James is leading a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in urging Congress to pass legislation that prohibits federal immigration agents from wearing masks that conceal their identities and requires them to clearly identify themselves and their agency during civil enforcement actions, she said.

In a letter sent to all members of Congress, James and the coalition warn that the increasingly routine use of masked, plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents threatens public safety, evades accountability, and instills fear in communities across the country.

"It is deeply disturbing that, in the United States of America, masked agents can pull people off the streets in unmarked cars without ever identifying themselves as law enforcement," James said. "Congress needs to act now to ensure that all law enforcement agencies, including ICE, are held to basic standards of transparency, accountability, and respect for civil rights. There is no place in this country for a secret police force operating in the shadows."

In response to a request for comment from tU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Patch: "When our heroic law enforcement officers conduct operations, they clearly identify themselves as law enforcement while wearing masks to protect themselves from being targeted by highly sophisticated gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS-13, criminal rings, murderers, and rapists. Attacks and demonization of our brave law enforcement is contributing to our officers now facing a nearly 700 percent increase in assaults."

In the letter, James and the coalition detail a "disturbing pattern of ICE agents conducting arrests without identifying themselves, often wearing masks and plainclothes while operating unmarked vehicles," she said.

These actions, the attorneys general argue, "sow confusion and fear, make it difficult for witnesses or bystanders to determine whether a kidnapping is taking place, and obstruct the public’s ability to report misconduct."

The attorneys general also express their concern over "escalating incidents involving ICE detaining individuals on streets, at homes, workplaces, and courthouses."

Federal law already requires ICE agents to identify themselves at the time of arrest "as soon as it is practical and safe to do so," James maintained.

The attorneys general also argued that current ICE practices "flout those standards", which is why they said they are demanding that Congress codify clear requirements to prevent further harm. The attorneys general noted that certain protective measures may be appropriate in limited cases, but they emphasized that the use of masks and anonymity should not be standard practice in federal civil immigration enforcement.

In the letter, the attorneys general cite the significant safety risks they believe exist not only to the individuals being apprehended, but also to the ICE agents themselves and to members of the public who may feel compelled to intervene in what they believe is an abduction.

The coalition also noted that impersonation of immigration officers is on the rise, enabled by ICE’s lack of transparency.

James and the coalition urged Congress to pass legislation that ensures accountability and transparency for all ICE agents. The attorneys general cited proposed legislation including the "No Secret Police Act," the "No Anonymity in Immigration Enforcement Act,’" and the "ICE Badge Visibility Act" in the House, as well as the "Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement (VISIBLE) Act" in the Senate as examples.

Joining Attorney General James in sending the letter are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

Masks have also made headlines on Long Island recently: Last week, Nassau County Executive signed an executive order clarifying a law regarding wearing masks in public.

Under the new order, Blakeman announced that police officers may cover their faces under certain circumstances.

The mask ban was passed by the County Legislature in August along party lines, as all Republicans supported the measure.

Blakeman said that law enforcement officers "while carrying out specific operations pursuant to the policies and procedures of their respective agencies or departments, with the approval of their supervisor, may wear masks or face coverings."

The executive order came amid a new bill that would ban ICE agents from wearing masks to conceal their identities while working in New York City.

"I think they’re out of their mind, I think that they will destroy the city, and I think they will make law enforcement in the metropolitan area, including Nassau County, much more difficult," Blakeman said.