The FBI is calling for partner agencies to “adequately identify themselves” amid an increase in incidents in which people impersonate U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
“Due to the recent increase in ICE enforcement actions across the country, criminal actors are using ICE’s enhanced public profile and media coverage to their advantage to target vulnerable communities and commit criminal activity. This not only [affects] the victims and communities but also has broader negative consequences on law enforcement agencies,” the FBI wrote in a bulletin, as reported by The Hill. “These criminal impersonations make it difficult for the community to distinguish between legitimate officers conducting lawful law enforcement action and imposters engaging in criminal activity, which damages trust between the local community and law enforcement officers.”
The bulletin, dated October 17, and obtained by the group Property of the People, comes amid ICE raids and attacks on officers.
Similarly, Reps. Dan Goldman (D-NY) and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) introduced legislation in June to clearly display identification.
As the FBI encourages ICE identification, some leaders have taken actions to ban the federal agents from wearing masks. In September, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a package of bills blocking federal immigration agents from wearing masks.
According to SB 627, the bill unmasking ICE agents, the “routine use of facial coverings by law enforcement officers has significant implications for public perception, officer-community interactions, and accountability.” Facial coverings may cause members of the public to “experience fear or intimidation when approached by officers whose faces are obscured” and “may lead to misinterpretation of tone or intent.”
