ICE officers' use of masks 'terrorizing people,' Calif. congressman says
Share this @internewscast.com


() 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 this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

In-Depth Analysis: Persistent Smuggling Activities on Waterways

SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — By the time the sun rose over…

Walmart Recalls 850,000 Water Bottles Due to Safety Concerns

(WHTM) – Walmart is recalling approximately 850,000 Ozark Trail water bottles following…

Aftermath of Oglethorpe Mall Shooting: District Attorney Seeks Evidence Preservation from Vendors, Sheriff in Dispute with Mall Management

SAVANNAH, Ga. () – One week after the shooting at Oglethorpe Mall,…

South Carolina Voter Registry Update Marks Thousands as ‘Inactive’

In Columbia, South Carolina, September 170,000 residents have been labeled as “inactive”…

Tragic Accident Involving Toombs County Deputy Claims Teen’s Life

TOOMBS COUNTY, Ga. () — A Toombs County deputy was involved in…

Trump to Assess Flood Damage While Highlighting Strong Connection to Republican Texas

President Trump is flaunting his bond with deep-red Texas ahead of a…

Passenger Faces Abduction Charge Following Alleged Bristol, Va. Chase

BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) — Authorities arrested a North Carolina man on Tuesday…

100 Years After a Man Was Convicted for Teaching Evolution, the Debate on Religion in Schools Continues

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A century ago, a public high school educator faced…

Recently Released from ICE Custody, Mahmoud Khalil Sues Trump Administration for $20 Million

NEW YORK – One afternoon, Mahmoud Khalil found himself in his Manhattan…

MMA Fighter Ben Askren Claims He ‘Died Four Times’ and Underwent a Double Lung Transplant

Former Olympic wrestler and MMA star Ben Askren is revealing details about…

Senate Panel Votes to Halt Trump’s FBI Headquarters Relocation

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved an amendment to the annual…

Scrutiny Intensifies on Texas Flooding Response Amid Rising Death Toll

() As crews in central Texas shift from search and rescue to…