Federal immigration agents would be banned from wearing most face coverings but be required to wear visible ID during public enforcement operations, according to a proposal from Democratic U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ).

Why it matters: The long-shot proposal comes following images of masked, heavily armed immigration agents snatching people off the streets and taking them away in unmarked cars have shocked many Americans.

Driving the news: Under the proposed bill unveiled Tuesday, Homeland Security agents from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would be required to display a legible ID that includes the agency name or acronym.

• They’d also have to include information on their names or badge numbers.
• This requirement would extend to federal agents detailed to immigration operations, and deputized state or local officers.

Zoom in: The bill also would prohibit non-medical face coverings (such as masks or balaclavas) that obscure identity or facial visibility, with exceptions for environmental hazards or covert operations.

• In addition, it would require the Department of Homeland Security to establish disciplinary procedures for violations, report annually to Congress, and investigate complaints through its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

Context: ICE agents are currently not required to wear body cameras, can cover their faces, don’t have to provide badge numbers or identify themselves, can arrive in unmarked cars and they don’t need a warrant from a judge to detain someone.

• ICE agents operated with vastly more enforcement power, less transparency and fewer guardrails than local police and other federal agencies since ICE was created in 2003.

State of play: The Trump administration’s stepped-up immigration enforcement as part of a mass deportation effort has exposed the ICE agents’ tactical exceptions.

• Administration officials say the secrecy is necessary to prevent agent doxing and for enforcement.

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