#masked-agents

#masked-agents

Vance noted that masking ICE agents could lead to lawful violence against them, as individuals may confuse the raids with kidnappings. She stated 'I've never seen: a federal agent working a case due is pull a mask up so nobody knows who they are and go out and terrorize a civilian population.' There are serious legal constraints on undercover federal agents' operations, but this practice diverges significantly from established norms. Vance pointed out that this behavior is not typical for federal enforcement and indicates a troubling trend in law enforcement practices.

"It's very dangerous," said Scott Shuchart, who worked for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from 2022 until January of this year as an assistant director for regulatory affairs and a policy counselor. "If somebody comes up to you with a mask and a T-shirt and no badge, why would you think that they are exercising a legitimate authority, as opposed to being a violent criminal trying to do you harm?"