US Rep. Veronica Escobar introduces bill to bar ICE from wearing masks

U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a sponsor of legislation seeking to de-mask federal agents carrying out immigration raids across the United States, hopes to improve public trust.

Escobar, D-El Paso, joined Reps. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, Judy Chu, D-California and Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-California, in introducing the Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement (VISIBLE) Act of 2025 on Wednesday, July 23.

The bill would require any federal agents carrying out immigration enforcement to wear visible identification and list their agencies. It bars agents from wearing any face coverings that obscure their faces, unless involved in a covert operation.

"Americans across the country have witnessed masked, armed, and unidentified individuals apprehending people, sometimes violently,” Escobar said announcing the bill. “Lack of any meaningful credentials by ICE agents has even inspired criminals to easily impersonate law enforcement in an effort to deceive their victims and the public. The VISIBLE Act is common-sense legislation to help ensure both officer and public safety." 

Images and videos showing masked agents in plainclothes conducting immigration operations have generated fears and concerns across the country. It is unclear what agencies are conducting the arrests.

Escobar and her co-sponsors hope that the bill will reduce the fear, confusion, rebuild public trust and improve "safety and credibility."

The Trump administration has defended the use of masks, saying they do not want their agents doxxed, a practice where a person's private information is published online. Typically, an agent's name and badge number are part of the public record.

There is no single federal law against doxxing.

A version of the bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate on July 8. That bill was introduced by Sens. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, Alex Padilla, D-California and Patty Murry, D-Washington.

“Under the Trump administration, Americans have watched in horror as people have been abducted by unidentified masked agents and driven away in unmarked vans—these are scenes that shock the conscience and should never happen in America,” Murray said announcing the Senate bill. “This is a commonsense step that is badly needed as the Trump administration does everything it can to stoke fear and terror in immigrant communities and make everyone feel less safe.”

States look to ban mask use

California state Sens. Jesse Arreguín, D-Berkeley, and Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, previously presented state legislation that would make it a misdemeanor for local, state, and federal law enforcement officers to cover their faces. It would also require officers to wear identification at all times.

Federal agents wearing masks patrol the halls of immigration court at the Ted Weiss Federal Building on July 09, 2025 in New York City.

The "No Secret Police Act" was proposed on June 16 following violent immigration raids in California that caught national attention and sparked protests in Los Angeles and other states.

El Paso County approved resolution demanding identification

El Paso County Commissioner's Court adopted a resolution on June 23, calling on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to respect due process and on federal agencies operating within El Paso County to maintain clear personal identification, clearly display the insignia of their federal agency, and prohibit the use of face masks.

The resolution declared "El Paso County Commissioners Court demands a clear, consistent, and constitutionally sound process for the handling of individuals — immigrants or otherwise — by any agency or organization operating within our jurisdiction."

Masked agents have become a common sight outside of the immigration courtrooms in the Richard C. White federal building in downtown El Paso since late May. Agents have arrested an unknown number of immigrants following their immigration hearings.

Jeff Abbott covers the border for the El Paso Times and can be reached at:[email protected]; @palabrasdeabajo on Twitter or @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social on Bluesky.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: US Rep. Veronica Escobar targets ICE agent's use of masks, says it is eroding public trust