Thursday, June 26, 2025

Alarming rise of US officers hiding behind masks: 'A police state'

Mike German, an ex-FBI agent, said immigration agents hiding their identities 'highlights the illegitimacy of actions'

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OPINION by @jarvisdeberry.bsky.social:

Jarvis highlights why ICE agents' masks are especially disturbing.

"The basic principle is that the police are accountable to the public. And that requires, at a minimum, knowing who the police are."

READ MORE: www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb ... [image or embed]

-- MSNBC (@msnbc.com) Jun 20, 2025 at 7:53 AM

Comments

More: Some wear balaclavas. Some wear neck gators, sunglasses and hats. Some wear masks and casual clothes.

Across the country, armed federal immigration officers have increasingly hidden their identities while carrying out immigration raids, arresting protesters and roughing up prominent Democratic critics.

It's a trend that has sparked alarm among civil rights and law enforcement experts alike.

Mike German, a former FBI agent, said officers' widespread use of masks was unprecedented in US law enforcement and a sign of a rapidly eroding democracy. "Masking symbolizes the drift of law enforcement away from democratic controls," he said.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has insisted masks are necessary to protect officers' privacy, arguing, without providing evidence, that there has been an uptick in violence against agents.

But, German argued, the longterm consequences could be severe. The practice could erode trust in the US law enforcement agencies: "When it's hard to tell who a masked individual is working for, it's hard to accept that that is a legitimate use of authority," he noted.

#1 | Posted by qcp at 2025-06-25 10:31 AM

"could erode" ????

Little late for that one.

#2 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-06-25 11:38 AM

"Hi-Yo, Silver! Away! Let's beat the s*** out of some Mexican Muslims, Kapo, er, I mean Tonto!"

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ranger_tonto_2.png

"Say, where's your mask?"

#3 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2025-06-25 01:22 PM

Tonto, eh Kimosabe?

Dumbass, eh dumbass?

#4 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-06-25 03:27 PM

Any Republicans left who think police should be required to, I dunno, show a badge?

#5 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-06-25 05:18 PM

The masks hide those tats so popular with the boy bands==Proud, Boogaloo and others. Can't have the general population knowing that known terrorist criminal insurrectionists are running the streets at the president's behest...

#6 | Posted by catdog at 2025-06-26 08:08 AM

If you are so afraid of your actions that you have to hide your face and identity, you are a piece of ----.

#7 | Posted by Nixon at 2025-06-26 09:34 AM

It's because they were being doxxed, putting these agents and their families in danger.

#8 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-06-26 04:52 PM

"It's because they were being doxxed, putting these agents and their families in danger."

That's not a good enough reason. It's always been a dangerous job. They're free to go back to living in Mom's Basement if they can't handle the work environment.

According to you, they are going after some of the most dangerous violent criminals the world has ever seen

Public servants are public and we deserve to know their names.

By your logic, all governemt employers should be anonymous, to protect their families.

#9 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-06-26 05:21 PM

It's because they were being doxxed, putting these agents and their families in danger.

#8 | Posted by BellRinger

1403 ICE agents were killed in 2024

Oh wait, that was children due to guns

Checks, records

1 ICE agent died in 2024

from cancer

#10 | Posted by truthhurts at 2025-06-26 05:59 PM

It's because we live in a free society, putting these agents and their families in danger.

#11 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-06-26 06:33 PM

Alarming rise of US officers hiding behind masks: 'A police state'

OMG! that's because the LEFT is Doxxing them!

#12 | Posted by Maverick at 2025-06-26 06:43 PM

"that's because the LEFT is Doxxing them!"

You don't think the public has a right to know who is getting government money?

Yes you do.

#13 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-06-26 07:13 PM

Are these American or Russian federal law-enforcement personnel?

https://democracychronicles.org/wp-content/uploads/russia-police.jpg

#14 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2025-06-26 07:16 PM

ICE arrested a 6-year-old boy with leukemia at immigration court. His family is suing.
www.tpr.org

The link shows four ICE agents hiding behind masks.

Now why would you think it's a good idea to hide behind masks, when arresting a six year old child with cancer?

#15 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-06-26 07:22 PM

"They were crying in fear. One of the agents at one point lifted up his shirt, which displayed the gun that he was carrying," Mukherjee said. "The 6-year-old boy was terrified to see the gun. He urinated on himself and wet all his clothing. No one offered him a change of clothing for many hours."

Why would people who treat children this way want to remain hidden?
They would never have to buy another drink in their life if they just go to Republican bars.

#16 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-06-26 07:23 PM

"The family had been staying with a relative in Los Angeles for the previous seven months after crossing the border legally for a court appointment through the now-defunct CBP One App to seek asylum in October of last year. They had been granted parole status in the U.S. while they waited for their day in immigration court"

#17 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-06-26 07:24 PM

It's because they were being doxxed,
#8 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

that's because the LEFT is Doxxing them!
#12 | POSTED BY MAVERICK

You retards getting your talking points from the same X.com account?

Also, fuck the Gestapo.

And fuck you for supporting them.

You fucking Nazis.

#18 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-06-26 07:44 PM

that's because the LEFT is Doxxing them!
#12 | POSTED BY MAVERICK

The left is Doxxing them because they are acting illegally.

People like you and JeffJ used to say we are a nation of laws.

Now, you cheer for the police who violate the law.

"Hundreds, if not thousands, of law-abiding noncitizens have been arrested in immigration courts in recent weeks, despite a federal court ruling that the new ICE courthouse arrest policy is unlawful and unconstitutional"

#19 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-06-26 07:54 PM

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