# Why are ICE agents masked? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [June 13, 2025, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575 "2025-06-13T09:42:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/41 "2025-06-14T02:41:45Z")
Cowardice. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/42 "2025-06-14T02:48:20Z")
Repeating what ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons said is not evidence that people are actually doxxing the families of agents. Nor is that an “independent media group” is creating a database of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. In fact, save for the CIA and DEA and other spare exceptions, the employment rolls of federal agencies is public information. According to the organization creating the database: > _Speaking to Newsweek over email, a spokesperson for the outlet said: “We won’t publish home addresses. We won’t encourage harassment. We won’t cross the line.”_ > > _They added: “What we will do is document publicly visible information, roles, affiliations, and identities tied to ICE operations, and make that easier for the public to access.”_ Unless the database includes home address or information about family members, it is not being used to ‘dox’ federal agents. So, again, let’s see evidence to back up the claim that “People are out there taking photos of the names, their faces, and posting them online with death threats to their family and themselves.” Stranger ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/43 "2025-06-14T03:10:58Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Insulation from accountability. > > Just like all secret police forces. You grant them too much legitimacy. The correct term you are looking for here is “thugs”. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/44 "2025-06-14T07:55:24Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > But have any been accused of “Crimes against humanity” yet? Actively participating in the forced deportation of asylum seekers back to the country they fled is right on that line. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/45 "2025-06-14T11:57:10Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Any obvious racists are screened out. So the stupid ones got removed, and we have the smart ones left? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/46 "2025-06-14T12:20:22Z")
Let’s refrain from repeating MAGA lies and talking points, huh? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/47 "2025-06-14T12:29:43Z")
Yeah, seriously. Someone from the organization itself making that claim is less than useless, especially in this administration. BTW, the ICE union endorsed Trump (twice, I think?), so they aren’t just innocent bystanders suddenly caught up in an operation they didn’t want to be a part of. They wanted exactly this. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/48 "2025-06-14T12:41:26Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > Because hoods and bedsheets are passe? Pretty sure it’s this. Do fire fighters hide their identity? Police officers? EMTs? Of course not. They are proud of the work they do, and expect their neighbors to respect them for it. They are, after all, public servants. If ICE agents have to hide their identities, perhaps it’s because they _aren’t_ serving the public. And maybe they shouldn’t be on the public payroll. > [@DocCathode](#): > > As **Spice Weasel** said, if you work for ICE and start receiving illegal orders- > You can protest through channels. > You can quit. If you follow the illegal orders, you are simply saying ‘I know I am doing things that are illegal and immoral. I am okay with that as long as I have a job.’ > Or, you can just follow the illegal orders. I was once given instructions at work that were a lot less wrong than what ICE is doing. I told my boss I’d quit first (and laughably, he threatened to fire me if i disobeyed orders, because he obviously hadn’t heard what i said.) And then i arranged to speak to someone higher up in the organization to warn them about the issue that my boss was hiding from them. So i really have no sympathy. ---
**Author:** ![Capn\_Carl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Capn\_Carl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capn_Carl)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/49 "2025-06-14T14:33:39Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I was once given instructions at work that were a lot less wrong than what ICE is doing. I told my boss I’d quit first (and laughably, he threatened to fire me if i disobeyed orders, because he obviously hadn’t heard what i said.) And then i arranged to speak to someone higher up in the organization to warn them about the issue that my boss was hiding from them. That took some backbone on your part. How’d that turn out? ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/50 "2025-06-14T18:05:40Z")
Little reason why they should show any restraint at all, knowing trump has, and will use, his pardon powers. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/51 "2025-06-14T19:18:40Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I tried to find some good pictures of ICE agents at the protests, but was unable to do so. That’s funny, I haven’t had any problems finding pictures of ICE agents at all. Oh wait, you said ‘good pictures’, I think I see your problem. You want pictures of them **not wearing masks**. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/52 "2025-06-14T19:44:33Z")
Shortly thereafter we had a reorg, and my boss got moved out of that area, and i reported to the people who needed to know about the stuff. So, incredibly well, all in all. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/53 "2025-06-14T20:08:17Z")
So, the tradeoff seems to be between: - The safety of people from being taken without due process by government agents (or criminals impersonating government agents) and - The safety of ICE agents and their families from being doxxed I’ve seen plenty of credible evidence of the former. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/54 "2025-06-14T21:53:02Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Repeating what ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons said is not evidence that people are actually doxxing the families of agents. Nor is that an “independent media group” is creating a database of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. If a Trump administration official says something, I assume they are lying. Therefore I take this statement as evidence that it is **not** happening. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/55 "2025-06-15T00:13:27Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > The safety of ICE agents and their families from being doxxed That this is even being used as an excuse is patently absurd. ICE is (supposed to be) a branch of law enforcement. There’s a reason we require law enforcement to wear uniforms with their name on it and badges with their badge number. Nobody has ever been calling for ‘regular’ law enforcement to be able to remove these and wear face masks out of fear that they and their family will face being doxxed. They are by definition supposed to be identifiable, not just as anonymous parts of a law enforcement agency, but by their actual name and identity. What, exactly, is it about Immigration and Customs Enforcement law enforcement that requires members operating in that field as opposed to local/state police, the FBI, ATF, Federal Marshalls, Customs and Border Inspection, the DEA or any other law enforcement agency, to conceal any means of identifying them? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/56 "2025-06-15T00:27:12Z")
But the question isn’t about whether or not they _should_ be masked or what the law says about it or how the public feels about it. The question is why they _are_ masked. They’re masked to keep from getting doxxed. Regardless of your argument for why they shouldn’t be, it’s why they are. To be clear, I’m not agreeing with them, just answering the question from, what I believe is, their point of view on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/57 "2025-06-15T00:41:21Z")
I don’t think it’s just that. I don’t think it’s even mostly that. I think it’s in part to make them look creepy. I really do think it’s a modern take on white sheets. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/58 "2025-06-15T00:46:25Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > The question is why they _are_ masked. They’re masked to keep from getting doxxed. Regardless of your argument for why they shouldn’t be, it’s why they are. I don’t buy it. Yes, that is what they give as the official explanation. I don’t think it is the _actual_ reason. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/59 "2025-06-15T00:47:30Z")
You misspelled ~~explanation~~ excuse. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575/60 "2025-06-15T01:15:43Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > They’re masked to keep from getting doxxed. They are masked to protect them from accountability. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-ice-agents-masked/1019575.md?page=4)