Booker, Padilla introduce VISIBLE Act requiring immigration officers to display identification
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, have introduced new legislation aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in immigration enforcement operations.
The Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement (VISIBLE) Act of 2025 would require immigration officers to display clearly visible identification — including their name or badge number and agency affiliation — during public-facing enforcement actions.
For years, federal immigration officers, particularly under the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda, have conducted operations while wearing unmarked tactical gear and face coverings that obscure their identities and government affiliation. The bill’s sponsors say this lack of visible identification has contributed to confusion, fear, and impersonation incidents in communities across the country.
“The lack of visible identification and uniform standards for immigration enforcement officers has created confusion, stoked fear, and undermined public trust in law enforcement,” said Booker. “The VISIBLE Act is a necessary response grounded in law enforcement best practices.”
Padilla echoed that sentiment, noting, “Immigration agents should be required to display their agency and name or badge number — just like police and other local law enforcement agencies. These commonsense requirements will restore transparency and ensure impersonators can’t exploit panic and confusion.”
The legislation would:
- Require Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers, including personnel from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as deputized local officers, to display legible identification during public operations.
- Prohibit non-medical face coverings that obscure identity, except in covert operations or when necessary for safety.
- Direct DHS to create disciplinary procedures for noncompliance, report annually to Congress, and investigate complaints through the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
The bill exempts non-public and covert operations, as well as those conducted solely under criminal authority.
The VISIBLE Act is cosponsored by a dozen other Senate and House Democrats and is endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Public Counsel.
