Attorney General Phil Weiser, multistate coalition call on Congress to end use of masked agents in ICE arrests

July 15, 2025 (DENVER) — Attorney General Phil Weiser today joined a coalition of 21 state attorneys general in calling on Congress to prohibit the use of masked and plainclothes federal agents during immigration enforcement operations.

In a letter to congressional leaders (PDF), the coalition urged legislative action to promote transparency, accountability, and public safety amid alarming reports of unmarked federal agents detaining individuals in public spaces without identification.

“In Colorado, we promote responsible and trustworthy law enforcement through transparency and well-trained professionals subject to appropriate oversight,” said Attorney General Weiser. “By contrast, secretive enforcement tactics, other than in exceptional situations, undermine public trust, threaten public safety, and violate the principle that law enforcement officers must be identifiable and accountable to the people they serve. Congress must act now to protect that trust, safeguard public safety, and ensure that all enforcement operations uphold our democratic values.”

The letter cites growing concerns about the routine use of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers operating without identification, dressed in plainclothes, and using unmarked vehicles. These tactics, the letter explains, have no place in a free and open democracy and may lead to dangerous misunderstandings, including incidents in which bystanders mistake ICE arrests for kidnappings.

The attorneys general point to federal regulations requiring immigration officers to identify themselves “as soon as it is practical and safe to do so,” and warn that ICE’s current practices not only spread fear in immigrant communities but also create public safety risks. The letter also highlights how the absence of visible identification can enable impersonators to exploit or harm community members.

They warn that normalizing these covert enforcement tactics erodes democratic principles, undermines public trust, and increases the risk of civil rights abuses. The coalition urges Congress to require ICE agents to wear visible agency insignia and display identification during enforcement actions, with exceptions only in narrowly justified cases.

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

Read the full letter to Congress (PDF).

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Media Contact:
Lawrence Pacheco
Chief Communications Officer
(720) 508-6553 office
lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov