Patriot Brief

  • What Happened: Senator Rand Paul criticized ICE agents for wearing masks during operations in American cities, calling it inappropriate and harmful to public trust.
  • Why It Matters: Paul argues that anonymity leads to less responsible law enforcement behavior and that ICE should operate like normal police who do not wear masks.
  • Bottom Line: The Kentucky senator supports ICE enforcing immigration law but wants agents unmasked in cities, reserving masks only for dangerous cartel zones at the border.

Senator Rand Paul just broke ranks with the Trump administration over how ICE conducts operations in American cities.

During an appearance on MSNBC's "The 11th Hour" Tuesday, the Kentucky Republican slammed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for wearing masks during arrests. Host Stephanie Ruhle asked him point blank if he thought it was okay for ICE to be wearing masks.

"I think that anonymity and wearing a mask leads to less responsible behavior," Paul said. He made it clear he is not someone who wants to abolish ICE and that he supports them enforcing the law. But he wants them to behave like normal law enforcement.

Paul specifically called out images of masked ICE agents arresting women and children in an elevator at a courthouse in Chicago. "The local police in Chicago, like everybody else, is unmasked," he said. "I don't know why we would have one group of men apprehending people masked."

The senator drew a distinction between operations in American cities and dangerous work at the southern border. "I have a little more sympathy there," Paul said about the border, where cartels are running wild and mayors' heads are being chopped off. But in places like Chicago? He thinks the masks are inappropriate.

"When you're anonymous, like any time you're anonymous, you tend to do things that you might not do if you were recognizable," Paul argued. He said the masks reduce trust between law enforcement and the public.

Paul made it clear he wants ICE to enforce immigration law and remove people who are here illegally. But he wants them to do it the right way, without hiding their faces like they are ashamed of what they are doing.

His argument may be more compelling if the crazy, leftists activists weren't doing everything in their power to dox ICE agents, putting them and their families in danger.