Attorney General Tong Urges Congress to Curb Unscrupulous ICE Tactics

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07/15/2025

Attorney General Tong Urges Congress to Curb Unscrupulous ICE Tactics

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general sending a letter to members of Congress, urging them to pass legislation generally prohibiting federal immigration agents from wearing masks to conceal their identity and requiring them to show their identification and agency-identifying insignia.

In the letter, the coalition expressed concern over escalating incidents involving masked Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) officers dressed in plainclothes and driving unmarked vehicles detaining individuals on streets, at homes, workplaces, and courthouses. The coalition criticizes ICE’s opaque conduct as a stark departure from the transparency and accountability long practiced by traditional law enforcement agencies. These tactics, the letter states, pose significant safety risks and instill fear rather than foster public safety.

“There is a time and place for plain clothes officers in certain law enforcement scenarios, but this is not that. These masked commandos in unmarked vans trigger dangerous panic and confusion. The possibility of a misunderstanding puts both officers and civilians at needless risk. There is zero need for these hyper-aggressive tactics when we’re talking about unarmed mothers taking their children to school, college students walking to class, or people just trying to do the right thing by showing up to court hearings and immigration check-ins. It’s more performative cruelty from a weak administration trying to look tough and control through fear. Congress can and must act to protect public safety,” said Attorney General Tong.

Without clear identification, the attorneys general warn that individuals may not recognize the agents as federal officers, which may prompt bystander intervention, tie up local law enforcement resources, or even escalate dangerous situations. The letter also raises the concern that this lack of identification has enabled individuals to impersonate ICE agents to exploit or harm members of the community.

While the coalition acknowledges that limited protective measures may be appropriate for federal agents in certain situations, they warn that widespread, unchecked use of masks and plainclothes enforcement undermines democratic principles, erodes public trust, and invites civil rights abuses. The coalition urges Congress to pass legislation to ensure that federal immigration agents operate under clear guidelines that promote transparency and accountability.

In sending this letter, Attorney General Tong joins the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

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