National Border Patrol Council President Paul Perez sharply criticized the Democrat-led “VISIBLE Act” — legislation that would require immigration officers to show visible identification and prohibit face coverings in most public interactions — warning it would endanger agents and their families.
“This is tone-deaf political theater, especially after law enforcement agents have been specifically targeted,” Perez told Fox News Digital.
“They want to make it easier to dox our agents, to harass their families, and ultimately to get them killed,” he said, accusing Democratic lawmakers of prioritizing the rights of undocumented immigrants over officer safety. “You’re pandering to people who aren’t even citizens while throwing honorable law enforcement under the bus.”
ICE Agents Facing Spike in Violence
Perez’s remarks follow a string of violent attacks targeting immigration officers, including a coordinated ambush outside a detention facility in Alvarado, Texas, last Friday that left a local police officer shot in the neck. The Department of Homeland Security has reported a nearly 700% rise in assaults against ICE agents compared to the same time last year.
In another recent incident, two Border Patrol agents and a local officer were injured in an armed attack on a federal annex in McAllen, Texas.
Despite the escalating risks, Perez said agents remain committed. “We’re not afraid to do the job. We signed up for it,” he said. “But what we won’t tolerate is being targeted because of reckless political games.”
What the VISIBLE Act Proposes
The VISIBLE Act — short for Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement — is led by Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), and co-sponsored by 13 other Democratic lawmakers. The bill would mandate that ICE and Border Patrol agents wear name tags or badge numbers and refrain from concealing their faces during public-facing operations.
“When federal immigration agents pull someone off the street in plain clothes, with their faces hidden and no ID, it causes panic and fear,” Sen. Padilla argued in a statement. “This bill restores basic accountability.”
Padilla added that the measure would prevent impersonation and reduce public confusion during immigration enforcement operations, especially as the Trump administration steps up deportation raids.
Pushback from Law Enforcement and the States
Perez wasn’t alone in his criticism. Many law enforcement organizations argue that requiring agents to unmask or display their identities could invite personal attacks — especially during protests or raids where emotions run high.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs (D) expressed caution about fully endorsing the bill. “I understand the concerns,” she said during a Phoenix press briefing. “There are certainly scenarios where agents may need to remain masked for safety. It’s not a black-and-white issue.”
Similar proposals have been floated at the state level in California and Massachusetts, but legal experts suggest they would face constitutional hurdles since they would attempt to regulate federal officers.
Trump and Allies Slam the Measure
Former President Donald Trump harshly rebuked the bill earlier this week, saying Democrats pushing it “must really hate America.”
His DHS Secretary Kristi Noem echoed those concerns, calling the VISIBLE Act “a gift to the cartels and criminals.”
Meanwhile, tensions continue to rise nationwide, with anti-ICE protests turning violent in several cities, including a riot in Los Angeles last month where federal vehicles were set on fire.
Perez concluded: “This bill won’t make anyone safer — it will make every one of my officers a target. And that is unacceptable.”
