Oregon’s Wyden Leads Charge to Ban Masks and Hidden Badges for ICE Officers

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced a bill yesterday that, if passed, will force immigration enforcement officers to display clear identification during public enforcement actions.

Oregon Senator Introduces Bill For ICE Officers To Have Visible ID

14 Democratic senators, including Wyden, recently wrote a letter to the Department of Homeland Security denouncing ICE’s use of plainclothes agents and requested information on their mask and uniform policies after concerns were raised over tactics that “sow chaos and confusion” and allow criminals to impersonate ICE agents.

Wyden has now introduced the VISIBLE Act of 2025, his proposed Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement Bill, which seeks to prohibit officers,  including those from the Department of Homeland Security, from concealing their identities with unmarked tactical gear.

Wyden said, “Trump letting masked immigration agents in plain clothes abduct people from public spaces is straight out of an authoritarian playbook.”

Agents would not be allowed to use face coverings and have to wear legible identification, including their agency’s name and either their last name or badge number. Non-medical face coverings, with exceptions for environmental hazards or covert operations, will be prohibited, and ID must be clearly visible from a distance of at least 25 feet.

The senators highlighted that the public has a right to know which officials are exercising police power. The bill, which the ACLU and Public Counsel endorse, is co-sponsored by several Democratic senators, including Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., It seeks to address concerns that unidentified officers increase public fear and confusion.