Slate News What Next | Why Is ICE Masked Up?
Jun 30, 2025
Philip Bump, a Washington Post columnist specializing in immigration enforcement, joins Scott Shuchart, a former ICE official, to discuss the controversial trend of ICE agents concealing their identities with masks. They highlight the risks this poses to community trust and officer accountability. The guests delve into the implications of such practices, especially how they impact perceptions of safety and authority. They also question claims of rising violence against ICE agents, examining the motivations behind masked operations and the evolving dynamics of immigration enforcement.
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ICE Agents Masking Erodes Trust
- ICE agents increasingly conceal identities with masks and plainclothes to avoid detection during arrests.
- This practice disrupts public trust and breaks the accountability compact between law enforcement and citizens.
Doubts About Assault Claims
- DHS claims masking is due to increased assaults and doxing against ICE agents.
- However, evidence for these threats is limited and numbers cited are often percentages from low attack counts.
Intimidation Over ICE Flyers
- A man in Southern California put up flyers identifying ICE officers and faced an aggressive raid of his parent's home.
- ICE's harsh reaction aimed to intimidate others from exposing officers' identities.