Bill Requires Federal Agents to Display Visible Identification During Raids
U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on Thursday introduced legislation aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in immigration enforcement by requiring officers to display visible identification during public interactions.
The VISIBLE Act of 2025 — short for Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement — seeks to address what Padilla described as an “alarming trend” of unidentifiable immigration agents operating in public spaces under the Trump administration’s revived enforcement policies. The legislation would mandate that federal immigration officers and deputized personnel visibly display their agency name or initials and either their name or badge number at all times during enforcement actions.
The proposal comes amid mounting concerns about masked, plainclothes officers detaining individuals in public without identifying themselves, a tactic that has reportedly intensified in Los Angeles County. Between June 6 and June 22, more than 1,600 immigrants were arrested by officers — many lacking visible identification — according to local reports. Incidents described by lawmakers include unmarked federal vehicles seen near Dodger Stadium and masked agents detaining individuals at a car wash in Bell and pointing firearms at pedestrians in Pasadena.
Padilla said, “When federal immigration agents show up and pull someone off the street in plainclothes with their face obscured and no visible identification, it only escalates tensions and spreads fear while shielding federal agents from basic accountability.”
Under the VISIBLE Act, officers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as well as other deputized agents, would be required to wear clear identification that remains visible even when wearing tactical gear. The bill also prohibits non-medical face coverings that obscure identity unless justified by environmental conditions or authorized covert operations.
Additionally, the legislation directs DHS to implement internal disciplinary measures for violations, report annually to Congress on compliance, and investigate complaints through the department’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
The announcement was accompanied by a letter to ICE led by Padilla and signed by 13 other Democratic senators, including Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Mazie Hirono, Raphael Warnock, and Ron Wyden. The lawmakers criticized the agency for engaging in what they called “theatrical enforcement” at locations such as courthouses and restaurants. They also requested a review of ICE’s policies on the use of masks and uniforms.
