The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) condemned the California proposal to ban law enforcement officers from covering their faces when interacting with the public.
In a post on X on Monday, DHS's social media account took aim at California State Sen. Scott Wiener (D) — who announced the legislation — saying his “rhetoric comparing ICE to ‘secret police’ is despicable” and contributes to the rise in attacks on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
“While ICE officers are being assaulted by rioters, a sanctuary politician is trying to outlaw officers wearing masks to protect themselves from being doxed and targeted by known and suspected terrorist sympathizers,” DHS wrote in its post.
“Make no mistake, this type of rhetoric is contributing to the surge in assaults of ICE officers through their repeated vilification and demonization of ICE,” DHS added.
DHS said its law enforcement officers are seeing more than a 400 percent rise in assaults, as well as new websites launched for the purpose of revealing identifying information — or “doxing” — ICE agents.
DHS pledged to “prosecute those who dox ICE agents to the fullest extent of the law,” adding, “The men and women of ICE put their lives on the line every day to arrest violent criminal illegal aliens to protect and defend the lives of American citizens.”
The DHS post responded directly to Wiener’s announcement of new legislation, the No Secret Police Act (SB627), which he unveiled with fellow state Sen. Jesse Arreguin (D).
The law would ban local, state and federal law enforcement, with some exceptions, from covering their faces when interacting with the public and would require them to wear identifying information, Wiener said.
Wiener said the purpose is to reestablish trust between communities and law enforcement agents amid a rise in masked enforcement officers in protests in California and elsewhere.
“We’re seeing the rise of secret police — masked, no identifying info, even wearing army fatigues — grabbing & disappearing people,” he wrote on X. “It’s antithetical to democracy & harms communities. The No Secret Police Act can help end the fear & chaos this behavior creates in communities.”
There has also been a rise in individuals impersonating ICE agents and other law enforcement officers, which critics argue is a byproduct of not requiring officers to identify themselves before taking enforcement action.
The Hill has reached out to Wiener’s office for comment.
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