Letter by Michigan AG Dana Nessel, others call for ICE agents to identify themselves

Nessel, other attorneys general want laws to make ICE to identify themselves

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is leading a coalition of AGs from across the country sending a letter to Congress about their concerns.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - As ICE agents step up arrests amid President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, concerns are escalating about how these arrests are being made – and who’s making them.

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Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is leading a coalition of AGs from across the country sending a letter to Congress about their concerns.

"You’re seeing ICE agents who are in plain clothes with oftentimes no identifying insignia on them at all, fully masked," Nessel said. "And they’re performing arrests, detentions, and they’re throwing people into unmarked vehicles."

The letter by Nessel and other attorneys general is urging lawmakers to pass legislation that would require these federal agents to properly identify themselves.

"It's creating this climate of fear and frankly it’s a dangerous situation not just for the public," she said. "But also for law enforcement."

"For the police as well as the citizens," said Steve Dolunt. "Because I don’t know who you are, so you’re not taking me to jail – you have no identification. 'I’m so and so' – prove it."

Democrat attorneys general call out ICE in letter, want Congress to act

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is among a group of other AGs around the country demanding Congress pass legislation to make ICE more identifiable - and less like a secret police.

Dolunt, Detroit’s retired assistant police chief, says some level of identification is important for everyone’s safety.

"I like the idea of having ID," he said. "And this might be controversial, but have it in English and in Spanish because a lot of the people they’re going after are Hispanic – tell them who you are – identify yourself."

Dolunt says he also understands why agents are concerned about showing their faces – given facial recognition and doxxing and swatting.

But Nessel says the masks are creating opportunities for people to impersonate ICE officers – which could lead to potential abductions, home invasions or worse.

She notes under Michigan law, local and state law enforcement investigate and arrest people everyday and do so by identifying themselves.

"Sometimes these are murderers, or rapists, or human traffickers," she said. "And yet somehow they’re still able to safely and effectively do their job without doing it looking like the secret police  I see no reason whatsoever, that ICE can’t do the same."

Nessel says that another problem is that ICE agents often don't coordinate with state or local law enforcement - making it even more important for them to identify themselves as ICE agents.