LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — U.S. Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Cory Booker (D-N.J) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) have launched laws requiring immigration enforcement officers to show clear, seen identification throughout public-facing enforcement actions.
It’s referred to as the “Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement (VISIBLE) Act of 2025” and would require immigration officers to show clearly legible identification, together with the company title or initials and both the officer’s title or badge quantity. Below the invoice, it could require it to stay seen and unobscured by tactical gear or clothes.
“Law enforcement should be required to identify that they’re law enforcement while enforcing our immigration laws,” Slotkin mentioned in a information launch. “In recent months, we have seen police, wearing hoodies and masks, make arrests that look more like kidnappings in an authoritarian country. With a growing number of reports of individuals impersonating ICE officers in recent months, this measure is more important than ever — not just for our national security but for the safety of border states like Michigan. These basics protect officers and the public, promote transparency, and build trust with law enforcement. The VISIBLE ACT is aimed directly at that goal, and I’m committed to working with my colleagues to get it across the finish line.”
The laws additionally prohibits non-medical face coverings that obscure an officer’s id, however contains exceptions for environmental hazards or “covert operations.” It additional requires the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) to ascertain disciplinary procedures for any violations and report yearly to Congress. Complaints can be investigated by the Workplace for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
This may apply to immigration enforcement officers in DHS, Customs and Border Safety (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
VISIBLE-Act-07.07.25Download
The invoice is cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Unwell.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
