Face Coverings For ICE Agents Would Be Banned Under New PA Bill

NORRISTOWN, PA — State lawmakers from Montgomery County have introduced new legislation that would make it illegal for ICE agents to use face coverings to conceal their identities.

The proposal comes after a series of raids heavily impacting communities around southeastern Pennsylvania, particularly in immigrant-dense areas like Norristown and Pottstown.

Advocates say that the bill would take a step toward reestablishing "broken public trust" in legitimate law enforcement activities.

"To target people based on appearance, language, or heritage under the guise of ‘law enforcement’ is nothing more than state-sanctioned intimidation," State Sen. Amanda Cappelletti, a sponsor of Senate Bill 1071, said in a statement. "Armed agents, often without clear and visible identification, conducting indiscriminate raids are not making our country safer, they’re deepening division."

Officials said 20 people that have died in ICE custody in Pennsylvania thus far in 2025, the most since 2005, as further sign that trust in the system was eroded.

Related: Man In ICE Custody Dies At PA Facility With Hands, Legs Tied Up: Lawsuit

"ICE has become a symbol of government overreach, and its agents' actions are a betrayal of our core democratic values," Cappelletti added. "Their unprecedented use of masked policing is not just misguided, it is an intentional attempt to reshape America through fear and scapegoating.”

Pennsylvania houses 13,850 ICE detainees, including 2,370 being held in solitary confinement. Officials pointed to ProPublica reporting indicating that of the thousands of arrests made by ICE, at least 170 U.S. citizens have been detained.

Norristown and the nearby area have been home to some of the region's most visible ICE raids. A raid at the Super Gigante in West Norriton back in July was excoriated by local leaders as deliberately "militarized" and designed to invoke terror.

The law would require ICE agents to have clearly visible identification including a badge with a name, badge number, and an agency-issued uniform. The law does allow provisions for officers to use masks to conceal their identities while undercover.

Face coverings have been controversial ever since President Trump's administration began their immigration crackdown earlier this year. Defenders of the measure say that it's necessary to protect the agents, who are often filmed by bystanders during raids.

New York and Massachusetts are among other states considering similar legislation, and California has already signed a bill banning facial coverings into law.

See the full text of Senate Bill 1071 online here.