Pennsylvania on Friday became the latest state to consider legislation that would unmask agents from U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Joining state lawmakers from California, New York, Massachusetts, and Tennessee, the “Unmask ICE” effort is a reaction to officers concealing their identities to evade public attacks and retaliation for the agency’s operations, which have led to widespread fear, anger, and protest.
Senate sponsors Nikil Saval, D-Philadelphia, and Amanda Cappelletti, D-Norristown emphasized the safety risks and confusion created by masked law enforcement. Though the bill’s specific language is not yet published, a memo from its sponsors says that agents working within the commonwealth would be required to wear a uniform and badge that identifies their number and department.
Along with the requirements would come civil and criminal penalties for failing to properly identify oneself.
“This legislative initiative is deeply important for the safety of our Commonwealth, and I believe people from across the political spectrum understand how critical it is for our community members to be able to trust our law enforcement officers,” said Cappelletti in an email to The Center Square. “Unfortunately, we have already seen troubling incidents in Pennsylvania where individuals impersonated law enforcement officers to commit crimes.”
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Author: Ray Hilbrich
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