U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) wants federal immigration agents to wear easily identifiable IDs when conducting immigration raids.
As part of the national immigration crackdown on, agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been rolling up in unmarked cars, wearing masks and plain clothes when they take away people accused of being in the country without authorization.
Slotkin is among the senators sponsoring legislation called the Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement, or VISIBLE Act of 2025.
Specifically, the VISIBLE Act would:
- Require immigration enforcement officers — including DHS personnel such as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), federal agents detailed to immigration operations, and deputized state or local officers — to display clearly legible identification, including their agency name or initials and either their name or badge number, in a manner that remains visible and unobscured by tactical gear or clothing;
- Prohibit non-medical face coverings (such as masks or balaclavas) that obscure identity or facial visibility, with exceptions for environmental hazards or covert operations; and
- Require DHS to establish disciplinary procedures for violations, report annually to Congress on compliance, and investigate complaints through its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
The bill does not apply to covert or non-public facing operations, nor does it prohibit face coverings when necessary for officer safety. It also does not apply to enforcement actions conducted solely under criminal authority.
The senator says clear, consistent identification would help reduce miscommunication during enforcement encounters, strengthen officer credibility, and improve public cooperation.
“Law enforcement should be required to identify that they’re law enforcement while enforcing our immigration laws, said Slotkin.
A Homeland Security Department spokesperson told told NPR earlier this week that ICE agents are covering their faces, arriving in unmarked vehicles, and wearing plain clothes to protect themselves from threats.
But critics say the ICE tactics are creating fear and undermining public trust.
