Overview

• Local police in Anaheim, Pasadena and other Southern California jurisdictions report they receive no advance notice of ICE operations, heightening risks of misidentification and public safety conflicts.
• Viral videos from Pasadena, Bell and Torrance show plainclothes agents emerging from unmarked vehicles, unholstering firearms at bystanders and using untraceable “cold plates.”
• ICE Director Todd Lyons defends the use of masks and plain clothes to shield officers and their families from threats and retaliation.
• Federal immigration officers are largely immune from civil suits under Section 1983, limiting avenues for local communities to seek redress for alleged rights violations.
• Legislation sponsored by Reps. Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat and Sens. Cory Booker, Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff would bar ICE agents from concealing their identities during enforcement actions.