New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday directed federal immigration officers operating in the state to refrain from wearing face coverings, a step that is expected to face legal opposition from the Trump administration following similar efforts in California that were struck down in court.
Since President Donald Trump launched a wide-ranging deportation campaign, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement have frequently worn masks during operations, citing concerns about being identified and targeted outside of work.
“For ICE, wearing masks without good cause is nothing short of an intimidation tactic, a cowardly attempt to evade responsibility,” Hochul said Thursday.
Images earlier this year showing heavily armed, masked officers in plain clothes conducting enforcement actions in cities such as Minneapolis drew widespread global attention. The scrutiny intensified after a deadly incident in which ICE agents fatally shot two Americans in that Midwestern city.
Alongside the directive on masks, Hochul announced additional limits on ICE activity, stating that agents would be barred from entering certain locations—including schools, libraries, community centers, and polling places—unless they obtain a judicial warrant.
She also instructed local law enforcement agencies not to assist in operations that are based solely on immigration enforcement.
“Our officers, paid for by local taxpayer dollars, were hired to protect their communities … they’re not there to do the federal government’s bidding,” Hochul added.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, recently warned that the federal government would respond forcefully to such measures.
“what’s going to happen with places like New York, and [if] people pass ridiculous legislation not to work with us, we’re going to flood the zone.”
A similar policy enacted by lawmakers in California requiring federal agents to show their faces was blocked earlier this year by a district court, with an appeals court later upholding that decision.
{Matzav.com}