ICE officers' use of masks 'terrorizing people,' Calif. congressman says
Share and Follow


() U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell is among observers who feel U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is inflaming tensions by allowing officers to regularly wear masks.

The California Democrat, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, condemns recent violent attacks on ICE officers, including the July 4 ambush of agency personnel at an Alvarado, Texas, detention center that left a local police officer wounded. But as the son and brother to police officers, Swalwell said, he doesn’t support the agency’s frequent use of face coverings as officers conduct public-facing duties.

“If they are standing on lawfulness, they shouldn’t be afraid to show their faces,” Swalwell told “CUOMO” on Wednesday. “No other law enforcement agency operates routinely the way that they’re doing, and it’s terrorizing people.”

Told that ICE officers face increasing violence and the threat of being “doxxed” having their personal information distributed online the former prosecutor said the agency, under the Trump administration, was using face coverings from “day one.”

“You should prosecute aggressively anyone who threatens them,” Swalwell said.

The Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration has included workplace raids by ICE officers. The operations have become a flashpoint in Los Angeles, which has a large immigrant population. Critics blasted as heavy-handed a sweep of L.A.’s MacArthur Park on Monday by federal agents and military personnel.

“It was just like an assault, an infantry assault. They sent the ground troops first, then the mounted patrol. Then the armored vehicles,” said correspondent-at-large Geraldo Rivera, who also criticized federal operatives for wearing masks.

“That is a provocation,” Rivera told “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” on Wednesday.

Appearing with Rivera was Mick Mulvaney, a former top aide in the first Trump administration. He agreed that mask-wearing by law enforcement goes too far.

“American law enforcement are the good guys and the good girls,” he said. “You don’t wear a mask. Bad guys wear masks, and I don’t want to live in a country where law enforcement wears masks.”

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Biden admin gave protected status to Honduran man later charged in child rape and torture case of niece

Biden Administration Faces Scrutiny After Granting Protected Status to Honduran National Charged in Disturbing Child Rape and Torture Case

A harrowing case has surfaced involving a Honduran girl smuggled into the…
I was a hypocritical obese doctor. Then I lost 120 lbs without Ozempic

From Hypocritical Doctor to Health Advocate: How I Shed 120 lbs Naturally Without Ozempic

Dr. Brittany Booth vividly recalls the mortifying incident that served as her…
Ariana Grande's co-star speaks out after man charged at 'Wicked' star in Singapore premiere

Ariana Grande’s Co-Star Breaks Silence Following Disturbance at ‘Wicked’ Singapore Premiere

At the Singapore premiere of “Wicked: For Good,” an unsettling moment unfolded…
Village of Broadview, IL protest: 21 arrested outside ICE facility as protesters clash with police; 4 officers injured

Protest at Broadview, IL ICE Facility Leads to 21 Arrests and 4 Injured Officers

In Broadview, Illinois, tensions escalated on Friday as a protest outside a…
Judge rules Boston fraudster Brian Walshe competent to stand trial in wife's murder

Boston Fraudster Brian Walshe Deemed Competent for Trial in High-Profile Wife Murder Case

A Massachusetts judge has declared that Brian Walshe, a convicted fraudster from…
Trump's next immigration crackdown will target Charlotte, North Carolina, sheriff says

Charlotte Sheriff Warns of Impending Immigration Crackdown as Trump’s New Policy Targets North Carolina

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte, North Carolina, is preparing for a possible increase…
Bryan Kohberger forced to pay victims' families from his prison fund

Bryan Kohberger Ordered to Compensate Victims’ Families from Prison Account

On the third anniversary of the tragic murders at the University of…
Private eye's bombshell evidence in Caribbean cruise disappearance

Shocking New Evidence Uncovered in Caribbean Cruise Disappearance by Private Investigator

As dawn broke on March 24, 1998, Ron Bradley faced a parent’s…