Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., voiced strong concerns Tuesday over the Trump administration’s aggressive expansion of immigration enforcement, warning that President Donald Trump’s plan to rapidly grow the ranks of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—including allowing agents to wear masks during raids—could open the door to abuse, misconduct, and even vigilantism.
Speaking on The Bulwark podcast, Murphy criticized the administration’s push to hire thousands of new ICE officers to carry out mass deportations, a cornerstone of Trump’s second-term immigration crackdown.
“When law enforcement officers are masked, it can become a shield for illegality and brutality,” Murphy said. “If nobody can identify the agent beating an immigrant, accountability goes out the window.”
Murphy Raises Alarm on Rapid ICE Hiring and Oversight
Murphy warned that recruiting thousands of new ICE agents in a short time frame risks lowering hiring standards, attracting individuals with questionable motives.
“As you rush to hire into ICE, the quality of applicants is going to drop,” Murphy cautioned. “And there’s a real danger that some people will be drawn to the job precisely because they think wearing a mask gives them license to engage in violent or extreme behavior.”
He compared ICE’s expansion goals to the Border Patrol, which he claimed struggles to find even 1,000 suitable applicants per year. “Imagine what happens when you’re trying to hire 10,000,” he said. “You’re bound to let some pretty unsavory characters slip through.”
Masked Raids in Armed Communities Pose Risk, Murphy Says
Murphy also raised concerns about the safety of federal officers themselves during high-profile raids, particularly in heavily armed communities. He speculated that the reason ICE raids have been more visible in states like California—and not in places like Arizona—is due to the potential for armed confrontation with local residents.
“One of my colleagues believes raids are less common in gun-heavy states because there’s real concern about shootouts,” Murphy said. “That should never be a reason to hesitate on law enforcement—but it shows the level of risk these masked operations create.”
DHS Defends Mask Policy Amid Surge in Attacks on ICE Agents
The Department of Homeland Security has strongly defended the use of masks by ICE agents, citing a staggering 830% increase in assaults on officers since Trump returned to office. DHS officials have warned that anti-ICE rhetoric and public “doxxing” of agents—publishing names and personal information—have made agents and their families targets.
DHS has urged the Department of Justice to prosecute individuals who engage in doxxing, calling it a growing threat to agent safety.
White House Responds: Murphy ‘Siding With Criminal Illegal Aliens’
The White House hit back sharply at Murphy’s comments, accusing the senator of undermining law enforcement and fueling anti-ICE hostility.
“Chris Murphy’s smears are dangerous, false, and reckless,” said White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson. “ICE officers wear masks to protect themselves and their families from real threats—not because they have anything to hide. The rise in assaults on agents is directly tied to inflammatory rhetoric like Murphy’s.”
Jackson added that ICE agents “risk their lives to enforce the law and protect American communities with professionalism and courage.”
“Senator Murphy is doing the bidding of criminal illegal aliens,” she said. “It’s shameful.”
Growing Tensions Over ICE Tactics
The heated debate over ICE’s tactics comes as immigration enforcement has returned to the forefront of American politics under Trump’s leadership. With mass deportations underway and federal agents clashing with sanctuary cities, the battle lines are being redrawn—between those calling for tougher enforcement and those warning about the potential for abuse.
