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Senate Democrats Introduce VISIBLE Act to Unmask Immigration Officers

Senate measure targeting immigration enforcement seeks to rebuild public trust by banning non-medical masks, requiring officers to display clear identification.

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Immigration enforcement agents guard outside the Delaney Hall Detention Facility during a protest over federal immigration enforcement raids on Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Newark, N.J.
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Overview

  • The VISIBLE Act mandates that during public civil-immigration operations officers must display visible identification showing their agency and badge number, and bans non-medical face coverings.
  • It applies to Department of Homeland Security personnel as well as federal, state or local officers detailed to assist with mass deportation efforts.
  • The measure carves out exceptions for officers masking for safety from environmental hazards or conducting covert non-public operations, and applies only to civil, not criminal, immigration actions.
  • Under the bill, DHS would establish disciplinary procedures for violations, report annually to Congress, and route complaints through its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
  • Backed largely by Democrats with limited Republican support, the VISIBLE Act has been formally introduced in the Senate and now awaits committee review while parallel House and state proposals advance.