Mayes urges Congress to bar ICE agents from wearing masks on duty

Arizona Democrat Kris Mayes and a coalition of 20 other attorneys general sent a letter to Congress urging they pass a bill to prohibit federal immigration agents from wearing masks to conceal their identities.

Sponsored by Sens. Alex Padilla of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey, the “visible act” seeks to end a recent practice of concealing identities by officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security and other state and local agencies.

It would also require agents to wear badges or other gear clearly identifying their own names or badge number, as well as the agency they work for.

“Officers across Arizona do their jobs safely in uniform, without masks daily. ICE agents should too,” Mayes said in a statement. “Secret police tactics like this erode trust in law enforcement and allows (sic) criminals to dangerously impersonate officers — which is already happening.”

Mayes acknowledged there are circumstances where it makes sense for officers to take protective caution.

But she said widespread and unchecked use of masks — often by plainclothes law enforcement — as the Trump administration carries out its plans for mass deportations of immigrants in the country without legal status is not indicative of a “free society.”

“American citizens and non-criminals are being wrongfully detained by masked, unidentified agents in parking lots, worksites, and other public spaces,” Mayes added. “And it all distracts from bringing violent criminals to justice.”