Ice chief says he will continue to allow agents to wear masks during arrest raids | US immigration

The US Department of Immigration and Customs Protection (ICE) said on Sunday that he would continue to allow the officers who wear masks on their faces during their raids.

As Donald Trump has ascended his unprecedented The effort to deport immigrants throughout the country became famous for wearing masks to force people to approach and detain people. Legal advocates and lawyers generally argued that they have demonstrated accountability problems and contributed to a climate of fear.

On Sunday, the agency’s acting director Todd Lyons was asked about imposters who exploited the application by posing to the nation as immigrant officials to the nation. “This is one of our greatest concerns. And I said it open to the public before, I’m not the advocate of masks, L Lions said.

“However, this is a means of ice men and women to keep themselves and their families safe.”

Lyons has previously defended the application of wearing the mask, moment FOX News last week “Although I am not a fan of the masks, I think we can do better, but we need to protect our representatives and officers”, doxxing (the people who explain personal information such as home addresses) and the attacks of immigration officials are attacking increased 830 %.

During data In January 2024, June 2024 shows 10 attacks reported to iced civil servants compared to 79 in the same period of the previous year, and at the same time, the ice agents also landed in record numbers in the streets, businesses, farms and public spaces to save the US every year.

The videos flooded on the social media that wearing masks on their faces, taking into custody people without defining themselves, answering questions or why people were taken into custody and pushing people into cars that were not marked with unpolled windows.

“I’m pushing back the criticism that they don’t define themselves,” in question. “Ice men and women, our doj partners and our local law enforcement partners, which help us, are defined in their vests.” The only definition of many agents is the body armor marked with the word “police”, although it is not a police officer.

The interview sat in the first major network in the ICE center in Washington.

In addition to tens of thousands of arrests, there were several cases of criminal cases posing as ice officers like a man in Raleigh, North Carolina. accused In January, he kidnapped and raped a woman, threatening to deport him if he does not fit, or a man in Brooklyn attempt To rape a 51 -year -old woman in February. A Florida Woman in April 2025 exposed As an immigrant official, to briefly kidnap his ex -boyfriend’s wife from his job.

Ice agents also exaggerated attacks such as the arrest of New York Mayor Brad Lander by immigrant officers with Lander. accused Despite the living room officers Fees are falling Later in that day.

Critics say that using a mask allows ice agents to conceal accountability and avoid transparency for their actions.

“The use of masks is one of the legal issues presented by the latest actions of administration against immigrants and visitors (and some citizens), but it is an important issue that can be handled immediately and should be corrected.” expression In practice.

Coalition of 21 State Lawyers, including Letitia James from New York written Last week, it requires Congress to go through the legislation that prohibits masks to wear masks that conceal their identities and wearing masks that require them to show their identities and agency descriptive engagement. California last month state lawmakers proposed There is no awake law that requires federal agents to provide identity, including the surname and badge or identity number.

Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass, “Every day we have a Los Angeles Police Department that has to deal with crime in this city – and they stay here,” he said. report With ABC News.

“I don’t think you have the right to have the mask and grab people from the street.”