{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://fields.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-cleo-fields-urges-dhs-address-masked-ice-operations-and", "Congressman Cleo Fields Urges DHS to Address Masked ICE Operations and Accountability Gaps", "2025-07-24", "2025", "2025-07", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Cleo Fields", "F000110", "fields.house.gov", "fields", "https://fields.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Baton Rouge, LA \u2013 Congressman Cleo Fields (LA-06) sent a formal letter to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem expressing deep concern over recent reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducting enforcement operations while wearing masks and failing to identify themselves as federal law enforcement officers.\n\nIn the letter, Congressman Fields outlined how these practices raise serious safety concerns for both ICE officers and the public.\n\n\u201cWhen officers cannot be identified, accountability becomes impossible,\u201d wrote Congressman Fields. \u201cThis practice opens the door to abuse power and puts both law enforcement and civilians at serious risk.\u201d\n\nThe letter also called for DHS to take immediate action, including:\n\nIssue clear guidance requiring all ICE agents to properly identify themselves as federal law enforcement officers at the time of any arrest or detention, consistent with existing DHS policies.\n\nProhibit the use of masks or face coverings during routine enforcement operations, except in specific circumstances where environmental hazards or covert operations require such protection.\n\nMandate visible identification including agency insignia, badge numbers, or other identifying information that allows for accountability and prevents impersonation.\n\nStrengthen body camera compliance by closing loopholes in ICE Directive 19010.3 that allow officers to avoid BWC activation based on broad operational security exceptions and ensure that BWC footage is effectively linked to officer identification for accountability purposes.\n\nProvide comprehensive training on identification requirements and de-escalation techniques to reduce the risk of confrontations arising from confusion about officer identity.\n\nEstablish clear disciplinary procedures for agents who fail to comply with identification requirements.\n\nRep. Fields\u2019 concerns are echoed by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), who recently introduced legislation that would prohibit federal immigration agents from concealing their identity and require them to display proper identification.\n\n\u201cThe public deserves to know who is enforcing the law,\u201d Congressman Fields stated. \u201cAnd officers deserve policies that protect their safety while upholding the public\u2019s trust.\u201d Congressman Fields remains committed to working with DHS and federal agencies to improve law enforcement practices and ensure accountability, transparency, and community safety.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T14:40:33Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://fields.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-cleo-fields-urges-dhs-address-masked-ice-operations-and"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1137430556118488, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}