Courtesy ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrests criminal fugitives as part of Operation Cross Check.
Velázquez to ICE: Take Off the Mask
MOHAMED FARGHALY
mfarghaly@queensledger.com
Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez, D-N.Y., introduced legislation aimed at increasing transparency in immigration enforcement by prohibiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing facial coverings during operations.
Speaking outside the Federal Plaza Immigration Court on June 28, Velázquez unveiled the “No Masks for ICE Act,” formally titled the “No Anonymity in Immigration Enforcement Act of 2025.” The bill would require ICE agents to display their names and agency affiliation while conducting arrests and ban the use of face coverings—except in situations involving health, safety, or imminent threats.
Courtesy Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez
The measure follows reports of masked federal agents carrying out aggressive immigration raids at homes, workplaces, schools, and courthouses across the country. Immigrant rights groups and legal advocates say the unmarked and often plainclothes arrests are reminiscent of “secret police” tactics and erode trust within communities.
“When ICE agents hide their faces and badges, it spreads fear and removes any accountability. It makes it harder to report abuse, harder to hold agents responsible, and more likely that arrests spiral into chaos,” said Velázquez. “That’s not how law enforcement should operate in a democracy. The No Masks for ICE Act is about bringing basic transparency and accountability to immigration enforcement.”
The arrest of New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander by masked ICE agents outside an immigration courtroom last month has amplified calls for transparency in federal immigration enforcement and added urgency to Rep. Nydia Velázquez’s proposed No Masks for ICE Act. On June 17, Lander was taken into custody by masked agents while escorting a defendant at 26 Federal Plaza. The arrest, captured on video, showed Lander asking officers to present a judicial warrant before being handcuffed. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Lander was arrested for “assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer.”
New York officials swiftly condemned the incident, pointing to it as an example of the opaque and aggressive tactics Velázquez’s legislation seeks to curb. “Brad Lander’s arrest today was total bullshit,” Gov. Kathy Hochul posted on X. “When elected officials are being detained without cause, we have to ask: what the hell is happening to our country?” Hochul wrote. “This federal overreach cannot go unchecked. We must meet this moment and protect our rights and values.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James also criticized the arrest, calling it “a shocking abuse of power” and warning that “this is a grotesque escalation of tensions.”
This is profoundly unacceptable. Arresting Comptroller Lander for the simple act of standing up for immigrants and their civil rights is a shocking abuse of power. No one should face fear and intimidation in a courthouse, and this is a grotesque escalation of tensions. The administration’s rampant targeting of New Yorkers only makes our communities less safe.”
Courtesy Brad Lander’s X Page
Velázquez’s bill would prohibit ICE agents from wearing facial coverings during enforcement actions—except in emergencies—and require visible identification of their names and agency. As reports of masked ICE raids increase, the Lander incident has become a flashpoint in the debate over immigration enforcement and civil liberties.
Since President Donald Trump returned to office, ICE has arrested over 100,000 immigrants, asylum seekers, and undocumented individuals, frequently through unannounced operations in public spaces and residential neighborhoods. According to Velázquez and city leaders, the increase in plainclothes and masked enforcement has led to a growing number of community complaints and public safety concerns.
Under the proposed legislation, ICE agents would be barred from covering their faces during enforcement operations unless doing so is necessary for health reasons or to respond to an immediate threat. Agents would also be required to wear garments clearly identifying their names and affiliation with ICE.
The bill outlines oversight and enforcement procedures, mandating that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) review any claimed exemptions within 48 hours. Agents found to have inappropriately used the mask exemption could face disciplinary action. DHS would also be required to issue annual reports to Congress detailing disciplinary actions and public complaints.
Courtesy Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez
In addition to strengthening accountability, Velázquez said the legislation was designed to restore public trust in immigration enforcement. If enacted, the law would take effect 30 days after its passage.
Federal immigration enforcement will intensify in New York City as part of a wider crackdown on so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, Trump administration officials confirmed on July 7. Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border czar, said agents will escalate arrests in response to the city’s refusal to cooperate with federal detainer requests. Homan called New York a hotspot for immigration enforcement due to its policies limiting ICE’s access to local jails and information systems.
The announcement comes on the heels of growing political clashes in New York, where Democratic Socialist and mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani has vowed to end all cooperation between city agencies and ICE if elected. Mamdani’s proposals include cutting off ICE access to municipal buildings and expanding legal protections for immigrants, moves Homan warned would trigger a more aggressive federal response. Enforcement in New York has largely focused on courthouse arrests and check-ins, but Homan indicated that will soon shift to more visible street-level actions similar to recent raids in Los Angeles.
The planned escalation coincides with controversy surrounding ICE’s use of masked agents and unmarked arrests, particularly in the wake of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander’s highly publicized detention by masked officers. The arrest has fueled support for the proposed “No Masks for ICE Act,” introduced by Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., which would ban facial coverings and require agent identification during operations. With ICE arrests up 11% in New York and a newly approved $30 billion federal budget for immigration enforcement, the city is bracing for intensified tensions between local leaders and federal authorities.
