A coalition of 21 Democratic state attorneys general on 15 July urged Congress to bar U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from wearing masks during operations and to mandate clearly visible identification. The group, led by New York’s Letitia James and Illinois’ Kwame Raoul, said the practice of using plain-clothes, masked officers in unmarked vehicles sows public fear and makes it difficult to distinguish legitimate law-enforcement activity from criminal impersonation. In a letter to lawmakers, the attorneys general warned that secretive tactics undermine trust, threaten bystanders and complicate oversight. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser called the approach “irresponsible,” while California’s Rob Bonta described it as “shocking and unacceptable.” Homeland Security officials defended the use of masks, citing safety concerns. ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons said assaults on agency personnel have jumped nearly sevenfold and that agents’ identities have been circulated online alongside death threats, making anonymity essential. Congress is facing additional pressure after Representative Pramila Jayapal on 16 July introduced the Stop ICE from Kidnapping U.S. Citizens Act, legislation that would prohibit ICE from detaining or deporting U.S. citizens. Jayapal cited recent incidents, including the three-day detention of a disabled U.S. veteran, as evidence that the agency’s enforcement practices require stronger safeguards.