As the use of face coverings by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers draws increased scrutiny, officials and lawmakers at multiple levels of government are weighing in on the practice. Concerns about safety, accountability, and public trust have prompted a wave of legislative proposals and policy declarations across the country in recent days.

Cities and states led by Democratic officials are moving to restrict the use of masks by federal immigration agents. On July 20, Axios reported that several jurisdictions are considering laws to bar agents from covering their faces and to mandate the display of visible identification during public operations. According to that reporting, advocates believe unidentifiable officers can create confusion and intimidation, particularly in immigrant communities. In California, lawmakers are advancing two separate bills—SB 627, known as the “No Secret Police Act,” and SB 805—which would prohibit the use of face coverings by law enforcement, with certain exceptions for health and undercover work. CalMatters noted on July 18 that these measures aim to draw clearer lines around who may interact with community members in an enforcement role.

In a nationally broadcast interview on July 19, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons confirmed that agents will be permitted to wear masks during operations, citing safety as the primary reason. “I’m not a proponent of masks,” Lyons told CBS News, “but I also understand why they would want to protect themselves.” He acknowledged that masked operations could potentially enable impersonators, yet emphasized the agency’s need to shield officers’ identities amid increased public scrutiny and online exposure. Lyons also confirmed that ICE is utilizing information from programs such as Medicaid to locate non-citizens with existing deportation orders, particularly those with prior criminal convictions.

At the federal level, Senate Democrats moved to address concerns surrounding anonymity in immigration enforcement. On July 16, Senator Richard Blumenthal introduced the VISIBLE Act, which would require federal agents conducting immigration operations to wear clear, visible identification. Co-sponsored by Senators Patty Murray, Alex Padilla, and Cory Booker, the bill was announced alongside a letter to the Department of Homeland Security calling for additional oversight on the use of plainclothes and masked enforcement agents. In a statement accompanying the bill’s release, Blumenthal said masked operations “have no place in a functioning democracy.” The senators expressed concern that such tactics, particularly during community arrests, contribute to distrust and fear.

Taken together, the flurry of activity signals growing tension between agency practices designed to protect personnel and a broader push for transparency and community safety. With both legislative and executive branches now engaged, the scope and visibility of immigration enforcement remain front and center in a widening national debate.