New York Authorities Ban Customs Staff from Wearing Masks

Washington (ANTARA) - New York State authorities have passed a law prohibiting agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency from wearing masks and banning all forms of cooperation, both formal and informal, with state and local officials. As reported by The New York Times on Thursday, US Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin stated that ICE agents are heading to New York to pursue criminals. This step is part of a package included in the state budget agreement announced on Thursday. In addition, ICE agents are also prohibited from holding detainees in local jails or conducting searches of residents’ homes, hospitals, churches, and schools in New York without a court warrant, according to the report. A similar law, which prohibits ICE agents from covering their faces during operational activities, was passed in California in 2025. However, a US federal court ruled that the law was discriminatory because the prohibition only applied to federal employees, The New York Times said. The lawmakers hope that the regulation will be expanded in New York to include other officials and has a chance of surviving legal challenges. ICE has recently become the focus of attention in the United States amid a scandal surrounding the actions of its agents during anti-immigrant raids. The Republican Party has accused local authorities and law enforcement of deliberately failing to cooperate with the raids and provoking residents to heighten tensions. Amid these developments, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons has announced his intention to resign at the end of May.