WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Vice Chair of Policy Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08) and Representative Dan Goldman (NY-10) led 52 colleagues in demanding the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) immediately enforce federal regulation requiring immigration enforcement officers to clearly identify themselves during arrests. The letter follows disturbing reports of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) agents across the country conducting arrests without promptly identifying themselves and while masked and without visible identification. These actions have sparked confusion, fear, and safety concerns for individuals subject to arrest, the public, and federal law enforcement.
“When ICE officers fail to identify themselves during arrests, they’re not just violating federal regulation, they’re endangering our communities,” said Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08). “ICE’s intimidation tactics continue to cause irreparable harm, tearing apart families and spreading fear through our neighborhoods. It’s time for DHS to end these rogue practices, restore transparency, and hold every officer accountable.”
"Current federal policy is unambiguous: immigration officers must identify themselves when making an arrest. Yet, under the Trump administration, we have seen masked, unaccountable ICE agents routinely ignore that basic legal and moral obligation, eroding both the rule of law and the public’s faith in our government,” said Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10). “DHS must immediately unmask these agents terrorizing our communities and make it unmistakably clear that those who enforce the law are never above it."
In the letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, the lawmakers urged DHS to take immediate corrective action to ensure compliance with federal regulation which requires immigration officers to identify themselves. They also called for stronger oversight and accountability to prevent ongoing violations and restore public trust.
The Members requested detailed answers from DHS by November 21, 2025, including:
How DHS monitors and enforces compliance with identification requirements;
The standards used to determine when identification must occur;
The number of complaints and disciplinary actions related to identification failures in Fiscal Year 2025; and
Current training and policy guidance for immigration officers during arrests.
The letter was also signed by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-At-Large), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Don Beyer (VA-08), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Troy Carter (LA-02), Judy Chu (CA-28), Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Jim Costa (CA-12), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Chuy García (IL-4), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Pablo José Hernández (Puerto Rico-At-Large), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Summer Lee (PA-12), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Sarah McBride (DE-At-Large), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At-Large), Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Emily Randall (WA-06), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Adam Smith (WA-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Dina Titus (NV-01), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Norma Torres (CA-35), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Juan Vargas (CA-52), and James Walkinshaw (VA-11).
Representing a district that is more than 40% foreign-born, Congressman Rob Menendez has been a leading voice in Congress on protecting immigrant communities in New Jersey and holding DHS accountable. Since coming to Congress, he has been a strong opponent of private immigration detention in New Jersey, conducting oversight visits of the Elizabeth Detention Center and Delaney Hall and repeatedly calling for the closure of these facilities. Earlier this year, Menendez led bicameral members of the New Jersey Congressional delegation in opposing the Trump Administration’s plan to expand immigration detention in New Jersey. And following the January ICE raid in Newark, he led members of the New Jersey Congressional delegation in sending a letter to DHS expressing concern and demanding answers as to the circumstances of the raid. He serves as the Vice Chair of Policy for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in the 119th Congress.
For full text of the letter, click here.
