Pressure grows to unmask ICE

[marmar]

Pressure grows to unmask ICE
Democrats in California, New York and other states are trying to prevent ICE agents from concealing their identity

By Russell Payne
Staff Reporter
Published July 19, 2025 6:30AM (EDT)


(Salon) The push to unmask ICE agents is catching fire, as backlash grows to President Donald Trump’s policy of mass deportation.

“It comes across as kidnappings. At some point, where do we end up with vigilantes? Or where does this lead to a vigilante-type system with immigration or vigilante posses, or at what point do they end up hiring mercenary-type paramilitary? We’ve talked for years about making sure police are that there’s full transparency,” New York state Sen. Patricia Fahy told Salon. “They’re not even identifying themselves or producing the appropriate warrants that are mandated.”

Fahy is sponsoring the MELT Act, a bill that would require ICE agents operating in New York to unmask and identify themselves. She said the bill is about holding ICE to the same standards as other law enforcement.

Fahy explained that allowing ICE to continue to operate as it has been also allows criminals to exploit people’s fear of ICE. “We are seeing incidents, some pretty horrific ones of impersonating officers,” he said, “and we’ve already had issues with paramilitary organizations in some areas and vigilantism, and I worry that it is going to fuel that.”

....(snip)....

In light of questions concerning whether states can require ICE agents to unmask, Senate Democrats have introduced a bill that would prevent agents from concealing their identity while conducting immigration enforcement raids. The bill, like the state-level bills, includes some exceptions for instances when officers might use a gas mask or are engaged in non-public operations. ...............(more)

https://www.salon.com/2025/07/19/it-comes-across-as-kidnapping-pressure-grows-to-unmask-ice/