Criminal Justice

Oklahoma Democrats say no masks for ICE—even as threats against officers rise

July 22, 2025

Ray Carter

Members of the Oklahoma House Democratic caucus are calling for immigration enforcement officials to be readily identifiable, despite a massive increase in violent threats against law enforcement officials who have arrested violent illegal immigrants in recent weeks.

In a resolution signed by 20 Democratic members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, the lawmakers stated that “to promote accountability and public confidence, any personnel involved in the physical transfer or detention of individuals within the State of Oklahoma must display clear name identification and agency affiliation, and refrain from concealing their faces unless required for health-related reasons.”

Since the inauguration of President Donald Trump, officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have begun arresting illegal immigrants around the country. Many of those arrested have a history of violence and/or affiliations with violent drug cartels.

Many ICE agents have begun wearing masks while performing their duties to deter efforts to identify them or members of their families.

ICE Director Todd Lyons recently said agents were having their names and home addresses published, and law-enforcement officers were receiving death threats and even threats against their children.

White House border czar Tom Homan recently defended ICE agents wearing masks during an interview on Politico’s “The Conversation” podcast.

“We never had the scale of attacks on ICE we have now, up 700 percent attacks on ICE, doxing against ICE agents,” Homan said.

In a press release touting their resolution, House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson of Oklahoma City claimed that “many” immigrants, both legal and illegal, “are fearing for their safety.” 

State Rep. Annie Menz, D-Norman, said Oklahomans should be a “people of welcome, not of walls.”