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A top Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official has said that agents will continue to wear masks during enforcement operations, despite some criticism from lawmakers.
Getting into it: During an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons defended the continued use of face masks by immigration officers, citing rising threats against agents as justification. “I’ve said it publicly before, I’m not a proponent of the masks,” Lyons acknowledged. “However, if that’s a tool that the men and women of ICE [need] to keep themselves and their family safe, then I will allow it.”
Lyons explained that some officers have been “severely doxed,” referring to the online exposure of personal information like home addresses, which he claimed has led to an increase in targeted harassment and assaults. He emphasized, “If we had laws or regulations in place that held those folks accountable who dox or threaten ICE agents or their families, that would go a long way” in reducing the need for anonymity.
Lyons also responded to criticisms that masked officers create a climate of fear and operate without accountability. “I would push back on the notion that we aren’t identifying themselves,” he said, arguing that agents wear vests with ICE or police insignia. Despite this, many advocates have pointed out that the vague labeling (often just the word “POLICE”), combined with the absence of visible names or badge numbers, allows agents to act without being held accountable for misconduct.
In response to these concerns, a coalition of 21 state attorneys general, led by New York’s Letitia James, recently sent a letter to Congress urging lawmakers to prohibit ICE agents from wearing masks that obscure their identities. California legislators have introduced the No Vigilantes Act, which would require federal agents operating in the state to clearly display their names, badge or ID numbers, and agency affiliation.
