As Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents continue to ramp up their efforts to detain and arrest civilians, State Sen. Amanda M. Cappelletti (D-17, Montgomery/Delaware) and State Sen. Nikil Saval (D-1, Philadelphia) introduced legislation that will prohibit law enforcement agents from using face coverings to conceal their identities while acting within the scope of their duties in Pennsylvania.

Senate Bill 1071 seeks to reestablish a broken public trust in legitimate law enforcement and discourage bad actors from impersonating law enforcement and further harming Pennsylvania communities.

“Our Commonwealth depends on immigrants—many of whom are Hispanic and Latino—for the vitality of our economy, the strength of our communities, and the richness of our culture. To target people based on appearance, language, or heritage under the guise of ‘law enforcement’ is nothing more than state-sanctioned intimidation. Armed agents, often without clear and visible identification, conducting indiscriminate raids are not making our country safer—they’re deepening division,” Sen. Cappelletti said in a statement. “ICE has become a symbol of government overreach, and its agents' actions are a betrayal of our core democratic values. Their unprecedented use of masked policing is not just misguided, it is an intentional attempt to reshape America through fear and scapegoating.”

Since the beginning of 2025, 20 people have died in ICE custody, marking the year as the deadliest for ICE detentions since 2005. In Pennsylvania alone, the state houses approximately 13,850 ICE detainees, with 2,370 being held in solitary confinement—the second highest rate following that in Texas. Additionally, ProPublica has reported findings indicating that Immigration agents have held upwards of 170 U.S. citizens this year, including combat veterans who have served our nation.

“The presence of heavily armed, masked, unidentifiable individuals roaming our public spaces, work sites, and residential blocks—kidnapping people off the streets and disappearing our neighbors—breeds terror and chaos in our communities and makes all of us less safe,” Senator Saval said. “We must reassert the rights we all hold dear as residents of Pennsylvania: to dignity, to safety, and to due process. The No Secret Police Legislation is a step in the right direction, requiring a floor for transparency between officers and the communities they serve.”

While ICE agents continue to execute dangerous raids and arrests nationwide, their reach extends deep into Pennsylvania communities, including the districts that Sen. Cappelletti and Sen. Saval represent.

Key provisions in the legislation include the following:

Mandatory identification: Law enforcement officers and agents acting within the scope of their duties must wear clearly visible identification that includes a badge with name, badge number, and department or agency, and a department or agency-issued uniform.

Prohibition on masking: Officers and agents acting within the scope of their duties may not wear masks, facial coverings, or other garments that obscure their identity.

Criminal penalties: Officers and agents who violate these provisions will be subject to criminal penalties.

Civil penalties: Failure to identify or concealment of identity may be grounds for a civil cause of action.

Appropriate exceptions are also considered in the bill, including surgical or N95 respirators designed to prevent the transmission of airborne diseases and undercover officers or agents investigating serious criminal conduct.

Several other states, including New York and Massachusetts, have introduced similar legislation that would require federal agents to wear identifying information. California also introduced a like bill, which was signed into law in September. On the federal level, Senate Democrats introduced the VISIBLE Act to require all immigration enforcement officers to display visible identification.

State Sen. John Kane (D-9, Delaware/Chester) said, “Our Commonwealth and our country should never become comfortable with masked, unidentified groups taking people from their homes, schools, or right off the street. Lawful investigations and arrests in the United States must be performed by properly identified law enforcement officers. This legislation is about accountability, transparency, and public safety. It also continues past practice of law enforcement displaying their badge and name on their uniform. We have required this for centuries and it is important that we continue this policy. Every Pennsylvanian deserves to know that when someone with a badge approaches them, that badge is real, that name is visible, and that officer is acting under the law. We hold our police and all stewards of the law to these standards, and we should expect no less from anyone operating within our borders.”

Supporters of this legislative initiative can reach out to their Pennsylvania State Senators to ask them to sign on in support of Senate Bill 1071.