Overview

• State Sens. Nikil Saval and Amanda Cappelletti introduced the “No Secret Police: Unmask ICE” bill on August 14 at a rally with District Attorney Larry Krasner and immigrant advocates outside ICE’s Philadelphia field office.
• The proposal would prohibit officers from wearing facial coverings that obscure identity and require them to display badges with name, number and agency while wearing department-issued uniforms.
• Under the measure, exceptions would be allowed for undercover operations and medically justified reasons, and failure to comply could result in civil or criminal penalties.
• Passage appears unlikely in the Republican-controlled state Senate and legal experts anticipate challenges invoking the Supremacy Clause and due-process concerns.
• Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons has defended the use of masks as a necessary safety tool following reports of rising assaults and threats against agents and their families.