Kari Lake, President Donald Trump’s top adviser to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, warned Wednesday on Newsmax that Democratic efforts to unmask Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents could endanger their lives and those of their families.
Lake, a vocal advocate for law enforcement, blasted a new Democratic Party bill aimed at banning federal immigration officers from concealing their identities, calling the effort dangerous and potentially deadly for ICE agents.
"It’s so sickening. My blood is boiling," Lake said during an appearance on "Rob Schmitt Tonight."
"Thinking about this, because you think about what these ICE agents are doing. These brave men and women — they’re going out and they’re tracking down the most dangerous people that are among us. These are gang members. These are gang leaders, cartel members, high up in the cartels," Lake said.
The "Visibility for Immigration Enforcement Officers Act," or VISIBLE Act, was introduced Tuesday by Democratic Sens. Alex Padilla of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey. The bill would prohibit immigration enforcement officers from covering their faces or operating in plain clothes or unmarked vehicles without clearly identifying their agency.
The legislation follows widespread criticism of ICE officers reportedly detaining individuals without displaying identification or presenting warrants. The measure’s backers say transparency and accountability are essential in a democratic society, particularly when agencies conduct enforcement actions in public spaces.
But Lake argued the bill would put federal agents and their families in immediate danger by exposing them to retaliation from transnational criminal organizations.
"Let’s face it, they’re taking people who have come across illegally and bringing them in so they can be deported," she said. "A lot of these people who have come across the border are basically owned by the cartels. They’re indentured servants until they pay off whatever it costs them to get across the border."
According to Lake, ICE agents not only disrupt illegal immigration but also cut into the cartels’ profits, making them high-value targets. "Now you’ve got the ICE agents getting involved in trying to take away the money-making that these cartels do, and they will put their whole family at risk," she added.
Lake’s sharpest criticism was reserved for lawmakers supporting the bill. "These lawmakers who are pushing for unmasking them are really going to cause serious damage and possibly death to some of these great members of law enforcement," she warned.
In introducing the bill, both senators emphasized the need for public trust and oversight. When officers operate in secrecy, it erodes the community’s confidence, Padilla said in a statement Tuesday.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly defended ICE and praised its agents as "heroes" in the fight against illegal immigration and drug trafficking.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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