by The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors asked its lawyers on Tuesday to draft an ordinance that would prohibit law enforcement officers from hiding or disguising their identities while on duty in response to recent immigration raids conducted by federal agents, who usually wore masks or other face coverings.
Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis’s proposal came after identical bills that were still pending in Congress and the state legislature.
With Supervisor Kathryn Barger abstaining, the motion was approved by a vote of 4-0.
Although the proposed ordinance would apply to all law enforcement agencies operating in unincorporated areas, Hahn acknowledged during Tuesday’s board meeting that there are concerns regarding the county’s ability to regulate the actions of federal agents, including those employed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
According to her, the matter will probably be resolved in court in the end, but it is logical and common sense to demand that law enforcement officers openly identify themselves. She pointed out that if someone knocks on someone’s home claiming to be from a governmental organization, they are frequently instructed to request identification.
Officers from other agencies all identify themselves openly, she added. According to Hahn, ICE ought to be held to the same standard.
Residents have seen innumerable instances of men in tactical gear or plainclothes, with their faces hidden by masks or balaclavas and sunglasses, raiding villages and arresting locals, Hahn and Solis said in their motion. Additionally, when asked, they have refused to show their identities or even a badge, which has made people afraid of impersonators.
The motion claims that when law enforcement officials hide their names, they erode public confidence, cause uncertainty, and arouse terror.
The use of masks by ICE officers has been justified by federal officials, who claim that there has been a significant rise in assaults on agents and that hiding their identities helps shield them and their families from reprisals.
According to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, gang members and activist organizations opposed to the Trump administration’s mass deportations have shared the faces and residential addresses of agents.
In a statement earlier this month, Noem stated that anyone who dox ICE officials would face the worst legal penalties possible. These criminals are siding with human traffickers and ruthless cartels. America will not tolerate it.
The actions of masked agents have been criticized by critics, who argue that because these agents typically drive unmarked cars and refuse to show badges or identification when asked, there is a greater possibility that imposters will carry out kidnappings while posing as real law enforcement officials.
While acknowledging the federal officials’ reasoning regarding worries of retaliation, Hahn and Supervisor Holly Mitchell stated that no other law enforcement operation should be granted this level of secrecy.
I m not sure why ICE feels that they are different, Mitchell said.
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The motion instructs county attorneys to submit draft language for an ordinance that would forbid all law enforcement officers operating in unincorporated areas from donning any kind of mask or personal disguise when engaging with the public as part of their official duties within sixty days.
Undercover operations and law enforcement personnel donning medical-grade masks, gas masks, or fire/smoke protection masks would be exempt from the ordinance.
Additionally, it would mandate that all law enforcement personnel, including federal agents, wear identification that is clearly visible and identifies their agency.
Given the concerns regarding the county’s ability to enforce the statute against federal law enforcement, Barger abstained from the vote, arguing that the ordinance would not actually offer any consolation to the locals.
She stated, “I just want to make sure we do something that will actually protect this vulnerable population.”
