Democrats in the House of Representatives are demanding that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents be clearly identified when conducting raids on illegal immigrants.
The Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC) sent a letter to the heads of two federal agencies on Tuesday urging ICE and DHS leaders to implement a change to better protect women from assaults and abductions by ICE agent impersonators.
"All our lives, we are taught to fear masked men in unmarked vehicles. We learn we should run from such men to avoid being kidnapped, sexually assaulted, or killed," the female lawmakers wrote in their letter. "Yet, ICE is increasingly conducting raids and arrests in masks, plain-clothes, without visible identification or badges, using unmarked vehicles — tactics that cause confusion, terror, and mistrust among the public."
"These tactics invited perpetrators of violence against women to take advantage of the chaos by impersonating masked ICE agents in order to target and sexually assault women," they added in a letter to Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, ICE Associate Director Jennifer Fenton, and border czar Tom Homan.
The Democrat lawmakers referenced reports of men impersonating ICE agents to assault women, citing the agency's lack of strict ID requirements and use of face coverings. They noted three alleged cases in North Carolina, Maryland, and New York where women were harmed by such impostors.
Lyons has defended the use of masks worn by his agents while conducting raids, saying, "People are out there taking photos of the [officers'] names, their faces, and posting them online with death threats to their family and themselves," an obviously agitated Lyons said in Boston.
"So, I'm sorry if people are offended by them wearing masks, but I'm not going to let my officers and agents go out there and put their lives on the line, their family on the line because people don't like what immigration enforcement is," he added.
The caucus concluded by demanding ICE agents have similar identifying badges as police and called for strict prosecution of offenders. "It's past time to act. Just like local police officers, ICE agents must be required to wear visible and clear identification to ensure their safety, better protect women, and deter impersonators."
"Finally, impersonators must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law and this violence must be denounced by this administration," they wrote.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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