July 10, 2025

Duckworth Joins Padilla, Booker in Effort to Require Immigration Officers to Display Clear Identification

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and 10 of their colleagues in introducing legislation requiring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to display clearly visible identification during public-facing enforcement actions. The Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement (VISIBLE) Act of 2025 would strengthen oversight, transparency and accountability for the Trump Administration’s indiscriminate and alarming immigration enforcement tactics that have terrorized communities across the nation.

“By sending masked officers without any sort of identification to detain nonviolent migrants, Donald Trump is proving once again that he’s more focused on sowing fear and distrust in our communities than actually making our country safer,” said Duckworth. “This deceptive practice shields federal agents from accountability and hurts public trust in immigration enforcement while creating chaos and confusion for the people being targeted by ICE. Without proper ID, anyone could impersonate an officer. I’m proud to join Senators Padilla and Booker in this effort to hold DHS accountable.”

Under the Trump Administration’s mass deportation agenda, civil immigration enforcement operations have increasingly involved Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers engaging with the public while wearing unmarked tactical gear, concealing clothing and face coverings that obscure both agency affiliation and personal identity. Without visible badges, names or insignia, members of the public often have no way to confirm whether they are interacting with legitimate government officials.

This lack of transparency endangers public safety by causing widespread confusion and fear, especially in communities already subject to heightened immigration scrutiny. It also increases operational and safety risks for law enforcement personnel by creating an opportunity for immigration enforcement impersonators and compounding uncertainty in high-stress situations. Clear, consistent, visible identification helps reduce miscommunication during enforcement encounters, strengthens officer credibility and improves public cooperation, all of which are vital to mission success. The VISIBLE Act would place a critical check on the government’s power, ensuring basic transparency safeguards that protect public trust and legitimacy in immigration enforcement operations.

Specifically, the VISIBLE Act would:

Require immigration enforcement officers — including DHS personnel such as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), federal agents detailed to immigration operations and deputized state or local officers — to display clearly legible identification, including their agency name or initials and either their name or badge number, in a manner that remains visible and unobscured by tactical gear or clothing;
Prohibit non-medical face coverings (such as masks or balaclavas) that obscure identity or facial visibility, with exceptions for environmental hazards or covert operations; and
Require DHS to establish disciplinary procedures for violations, report annually to Congress on compliance and investigate complaints through its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

The bill does not apply to covert or non-public facing operations, nor does it prohibit face coverings when necessary for officer safety. It also does not apply to enforcement actions conducted solely under criminal authority.

Along with Duckworth, Padilla and Booker, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Gary Peters (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Copy of the bill text is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.

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