On Tuesday, the New York City City Comptroller Brad Lander arrested at a number of immigration masks and customs implementation agents In a court of Manhattan while he attempted to focus on an individual past immigration authorities. On that day, agent masks outside a Walmart of Pico Rivera Got two individuals – A immigration implementation target, some of a United States citizen attempting to intervention.
These two scenes from opposite sides of the country describes what has been done A more common problem: Federal agents wearing masks to avoid identification. On Thursday, masked individuals are said to be associated with the Department of Homeland Security down In a Hollywood house depot and In the Dodger Stadium.
Poor practice practicing law. It may be contradictory to national security regulations, while likely to provide cover for certain officers to exceed the constitution and civil rights. It also fails the authority of agent agents and re-stop public safety.
The Federal government has no specific policy forbidding immigration agents from wearing a mask. But the fact that such practice is not illegal it is not acceptable. Department of Homeland Security Regulations requires immigration officers to distinguish themselves during the arrest or, in cases In a Warrantless ArdtoGive a statement explaining how they identify themselves. The use of masks seems to violate the purpose of these directives for identification.
Ice agents in the mask has become disturbing regularly. There are Ice agents in masks in immigration protests in Los Angeles recentlyLike having actions to implement the Minneapolis,, Kroston,, Phoenix and around the country. In March a video of Rumesa Ozturk, a doctor’s student at Tufts University, which is detached by the road officer mask THE VIRAL.
It seems uncompromised with face immigration caps worn, which includes ski masts, skiing, surgical masks, balaclavas and sunglasses. Such inconsistency across the work of federal federal flies in the face of sound policing. Masks agents can confuse bystanders and ice targets, which risk people interfere with implementing actions such as kidnapping. The international assn. In the principal of police Warned that the public “can be scared or fearful of officers who wear a face cover, which can increase their defensive defenses.”
Todd Linons, Acting Directct in Ice, Said early this month Immigration agents wear masks to protect themselves. “I’m sorry if people are offended by them wearing a mask,” He said“But I don’t let my officers and agents come out there and put their lives in line, their family in line, because people don’t like what implementing immigration.”
Although law enforcement jobs come with an exact risk. Imagine that most police officers, Sheriffs and FBI agents fulfill their duties without keeping their faces. Correction officials who deal with prisoners do not wear a mask, neither judge the laws that minister our laws. Because these public employees have such a powerful power, their roles require perfect transparency.
Out of the ice Agents GROWING Targeting Noncriminalsthat lighten the argument that agents need masks for safety. According to On the research site Records accessible access to clearingHouse access, about 44% of people’s detention of ice until June 1 no criminal record.
If the ice agents wear a mask, have inadvertent results. Lately, have a Spike with people enlarged agents and Join HasuraAttack and violence. In April, a Florida woman wearing a mask As he posted as an ice agent and tried to kidnap his ex-boyfriend’s wife.
Unfortunately, the Trump administration has a double standard around the idea of people who wear a mask. It asks for that University bar students from wearing masks during protests. After Immigration protests in Los Angeles Immigration, the President posted On social media“From now on, masks are not allowed to wear protests.” Shouldn’t the principle be available on both sides?
In fact, it understands for immigration agents to use face covers when they arrest a target profile or handle an undercover operation. However, masking should be exceptions, not the behavior. If Ice agents conduct their duties unknown, they open the door to potential civil rights and appropriate processes in the process. Practice gives the agents to make unlawful arrests, without the possibility of public accountability.
Masking can also be seen as an immigration aggregation performance – if their target is an undocumented migrant or An American citizenLike Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who arrested outside A New Jersey Detention Facility in May. Masks of ice agents give the impression that a secret police force, which is not good for our democracy.
Last week, California’s democratic lawmators introduced a bill That’s the Bar Local, State and Federal Laws of California law enforcement from wearing duty masks (with some exceptions). Although it is a step in the right direction, it remains unclear whether a state scale can be used by federal agents. Congress must prohibit the use of immigration agents.
Ice officials should not be allowed to hide their faces. Public demand for accountability is more powerful in any reason for non-advertising agents.
Raul A. Reyes is an immigration lawyer and advocate of the NBC Latino and CNN opinion. X: @Raalamuloyes;; Instagram: @ Ramalamarere1
