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U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is introducing a bill that would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to wear visible identification and prohibit face masks while on duty.
The bill covers several Department of Homeland Security operations, including Border Protection and Customs Enforcement.
“I don’t take a back seat to anybody when it comes to law enforcement, but violating the basics of due process is both unconscionable and un-American,” Wyden wrote in a statement to The Oregonian/Oregonlive.com. ”What’s happening far too often is unidentified and masked individuals are yanking people off the streets without even a nod to the core American principle of due process.”
Wyden is among 13 supporters of the bill, including Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai’i and Patty Murray, D-Wash.
“Trump letting masked immigration agents in plain clothes abduct people from public spaces is straight out of an authoritarian playbook,” Wyden said in a press release. “These public abductions are sowing fear and distrust into the hearts of our communities. We must ensure federal agents have visible identification on display to bring back transparency, maintain public trust, and start repairing America’s broken immigration system.”
Under the bill, officers would be required to display their agency name or initials and their name or badge number in a visible area of their gear or clothing.
Masks or balaclavas would be prohibited, too, though exceptions apply for environmental hazards or specific covert operations. Those who don’t comply would face disciplinary action, though what that could look like remains unclear.
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