Press Release

Welch Joins Padilla, Booker in Cosponsoring New Bill to Require Immigration Officers to Display Clear Identification 

Jul 9, 2025

Welch also joined letter to DHS requesting information about ICE’s use of unidentified plainclothes agents 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in cosponsoring new legislation to require immigration enforcement officers to display clearly visible identification during public-facing enforcement actions. The Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement (VISIBLE) Act of 2025 would strengthen oversight, transparency, and accountability of the Trump Administration’s indiscriminate and alarming immigration enforcement tactics that have terrorized communities across the nation.  

Under the Trump Administration’s mass deportation agenda, civil immigration enforcement operations have increasingly involved Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers engaging with the public while wearing unmarked tactical gear, concealing clothing, and face coverings that obscure both agency affiliation and personal identity. Without visible badges, names, or insignia, members of the public often have no way to confirm whether they are interacting with legitimate government officials. 

This lack of transparency endangers public safety by causing widespread confusion and fear, especially in communities already subject to heightened immigration scrutiny. It also increases operational and safety risks for law enforcement personnel by creating an opportunity for immigration enforcement impersonators and compounding uncertainty in high-stress situations. Clear, consistent, visible identification helps reduce miscommunication during enforcement encounters, strengthens officer credibility, and improves public cooperation, all of which are vital to mission success.  

 “Public safety requires trust. When federal immigration agents are in plainclothes and unidentifiable, it threatens that public safety, undermines trust in government, and can even lead to escalating violence,” said Senator Welch. “This is about accountability and transparency.” 

The VISIBLE Act would place a critical check on the government’s power, ensuring basic transparency safeguards that protect public trust and legitimacy in immigration enforcement operations. Specifically, the VISIBLE Act: 

  • Requires immigration enforcement officers — including DHS personnel such as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), federal agents detailed to immigration operations, and deputized state or local officers — to display clearly legible identification, including their agency name or initials and either their name or badge number, in a manner that remains visible and unobscured by tactical gear or clothing; 
  • Prohibits non-medical face coverings (such as masks or balaclavas) that obscure identity or facial visibility, with exceptions for environmental hazards or covert operations; and 
  • Requires DHS to establish disciplinary procedures for violations, report annually to Congress on compliance, and investigate complaints through its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. 

The bill does not apply to covert or non-public facing operations, nor does it prohibit face coverings when necessary for officer safety. It also does not apply to enforcement actions conducted solely under criminal authority. 

The VISIBLE Act is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). The bill is endorsed by the ACLU and Public Counsel. 

Learn more about the VISIBLE Act. 

Read and download the full text of the bill. 

Earlier this week, Senator Welch joined Senator Padilla and 12 of their colleagues in criticizing ICE for engaging in counterproductive, theatrical enforcement activities — including raids on courthouses and restaurants — and requesting information from the agency on its mask and uniform policies. The Senators argued that these tactics are designed to sow fear and chaos and that allowing masked, plainclothes officers to engage in public raids creates situations where bad actors can commit crimes while claiming to be ICE agents. 

In addition to Sens. Welch and Padilla, the letter was signed by Senators Blumenthal, Booker, Hirono, Schiff, Smith, Van Hollen, Wyden, Murray, Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.). Read the full text of the letter here. 

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