ICE, no ICE: The danger is real
Photograph by Victor J. Blue / Bloomberg / Getty
April 23, 2026
By Melvin Bankhead III
You’re heading out to lunch when a group of masked men approach you. They claim to be immigration enforcement agents and have questions about whether you’re a legal resident of the United States. Unsatisfied with your answers, they force you into a nearby van.
What happens next?
Maybe they’re actual law enforcement agents. Maybe they’re not. But a federal appeals court just made it easier for criminals and white supremacist groups to assault women, people of color, and anyone else on their radar.
On April 22, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a key part of California’s 2025 No Vigilantes Act. The 2025 law forbade federal immigration officials from wearing masks and required them to visibly display their credentials (such as a badge). More to the point, the court ignored California lawmakers’ concerns that there are dangerous risks to public safety posed by law enforcement operating without the public being able to identify them.
One such threat is criminals pretending to be legitimate law enforcement officers. The FBI warned late last year of this very risk in a bulletin reported by Wired magazine, and urged agents in its companion law enforcement agencies to “adequately identify themselves” to reduce risks to public safety:
"Criminals posing as U.S. immigration officers have carried out robberies, kidnappings, and sexual assaults in several states, warns a law enforcement bulletin issued last month by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The bulletin cites five 2025 incidents involving fake immigration officers and says criminals are using Immigration and Custom Enforcement's heightened profile to target vulnerable communities, making it harder for Americans to distinguish between lawful officers and imposters while eroding trust in law enforcement." (Wired)
Yes, you read that right. Specifically, the bulletin cited the robbery of a New York restaurant, the attempted abduction of a Florida woman, the attempted sexual assault of a New York woman, and the rape of a North Carolina woman — all by individuals claiming to be ICE agents.
“Due to the recent increase in ICE enforcement actions across the country, criminal actors are using ICE’s enhanced public profile and media coverage to their advantage to target vulnerable communities and commit criminal activity. This not only effects the victims and communities but also has broader negative consequences on law enforcement agencies,” the FBI warned.
Yeah, no kidding.
Supposedly, ICE agents wear masks to protect themselves and their families from retaliation. Yet, in cities and towns across America, local police officers, deputies, FBI agents, and other law enforcers operate openly. No masks. Which means, when they act badly, they can be held accountable.
Supporters of ICE shout, “Just comply!” — advice that women, racial and ethnic minorities, and the LGBTQIA+ community know does not guarantee their safety.
For that matter, let’s say someone just complies. Are they surrendering to federal law enforcement, or to violent criminals who are intent on harm?
Currently, actual ICE agents frequently refuse to provide proof that they are who they say they are. They wear masks and tactical gear easily available online. They use unmarked vehicles. If you fight back, try to run away, or are just on scene recording events, you’re risking prison time, deportation, being shot to death, or dying while in custody. Renee Nicole Good. Alex Pretti. Geraldo Lunas Campos. Luis Gustavo Núñez Caceres. Luis Beltran Yanez Cruz. Parady La. Heber Sánchez Domínguez. Victor Manuel Díaz. Aled Damien Carbonell-Betancourt. Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal. Nural Amin Sha Alam.
So, The Takeaway: If you encounter armed, masked individuals, there’s no way to distinguish a legitimate ICE agent from an imposter. And given ICE’s current track record, there’s no way to tell if you’ll survive the experience, whether or not they’re real agents.
And, The Question: Who else is going to suffer because the federal government doesn’t want to rein in its masked enforcers who have now given a playbook to every criminal out there?