Senate Democrats Introduce Bill to Unmask ICE Agents

VISIBLE Act aims to curb fear and impersonation by requiring ICE and DHS agents to show badges and ban face masks during public arrests.

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats introduced legislation Tuesday that would require immigration enforcement officers to wear clearly visible identification during public operations and prohibit the use of non-medical face coverings, amid escalating tensions over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

The VISIBLE Act of 2025—short for Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement—was unveiled by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Alex Padilla (D-CA), who is ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee. The bill comes in direct response to what the lawmakers called “indiscriminate and alarming” enforcement tactics by federal agents, who have detained immigrants in public spaces while wearing unmarked tactical gear and concealing their identities.

“For weeks, Americans have watched federal agents with no visible identification detain people off the streets and instill fear in communities across the country,” Booker said in a press release. …