Citing concerns about public safety and the decline in public confidence in law enforcement, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is leading a coalition of 20 states calling on Congress to prohibit federal immigration officials from wearing masks to hide their identities while conducting enforcement operations.
The coalition wrote to Congress in favor of the VISIBLE Act, which was introduced by Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Alex Padilla of California.
The proposed law would make it illegal for agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and other federal and local agencies to wear masks while enforcing immigration laws.
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Kris Mayes was especially alarmed by recent reports of masked federal agents making arrests at work locations across Arizona and outside immigration courts in Phoenix as part of the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign. She explains that similar strategies have been seen around other states.
"We're already seeing this in other parts of the country, where bad actors and criminals are taking advantage of this, masking themselves up and attempting to kidnap people or carjack people," Mayes said during a July 8 news conference. "As the top law enforcement officer in the state of Arizona, masking yourself is unacceptable. It's bad law enforcement and it's just not something we've ever seen before."
According to the attorney general, individuals are taking advantage of the disguised enforcement strategy to target victims who think they are being stopped by law-abiding police officers.
Masks shield cops from physical attacks and internet "doxxing" attacks that expose their identities, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities.
Homeland Security Investigations agents in Arizona will continue to cover their faces if they so desire, according to ICE spokesperson Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe.
"Safety remains at the forefront of ICE, particularly as enforcement operations take place where security and safety could be compromised," the agency stated, adding that agents wear clearly marked badges and police identifiers.
When Mayes directly confronted ICE officials about their masking policy, she said she told them bluntly: "I thought that was b-------."
Although Mayes acknowledged that face coverings might be necessary for undercover operations on occasion, she stressed that these situations are "extremely rare."
She argued that federal agents should be held to the same standard, pointing out that Arizona officers carry out their tasks safely every day while wearing uniforms and no masks.
"Officers across Arizona do their jobs safely in uniform, without masks daily. ICE agents should too," Mayes stated. "Secret police tactics like this erode trust in law enforcement and allows criminals to dangerously impersonate officers."
Additionally, agents would be required by the proposed VISIBLE Act to prominently display badges or other equipment that clearly displays their names or badge numbers in addition to their agency affiliation.
In her more measured approach, Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs acknowledged that mask use may occasionally be justified by officer safety concerns, but she waited for legislative approval of the law.
"I've had conversations with leadership here at (the Department of Public Safety) and there certainly are circumstances where for officer safety they might have officers mask in a situation," Katie Hobbs said. "I don't think there's a cut and dry, yes or no, this should happen or not."
Mayes expressed that "America is a free society and we should know who is policing us… American citizens and non-criminals are being wrongfully detained by masked, unidentified agents in parking lots, worksites, and other public spaces. And it all distracts from bringing violent criminals to justice."
