VISIBLE Act
The Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement Act of 2025 (VISIBLE Act) would require certain immigration enforcement officers to wear clearly visible identification during any public-facing immigration enforcement action. It adds a new subsection to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) defining who counts as a “covered immigration officer,” what constitutes a “public immigration enforcement function,” and what qualifies as “visible identification.” The bill specifies how the identifying information must be displayed (agency name, officer’s last name or badge/ID number) and how visible it must be (legible from at least 25 feet, readable during direct public engagement, on the outermost garment, not obscured by gear). It also restricts the use of non-medical face coverings that would hide identification, with narrow exceptions for covert operations or hazardous conditions. The bill creates oversight and accountability mechanisms: DHS would discipline officers who fail to comply; an annual report to Congress would track enforcement activity and instances of noncompliance, along with actions taken. The Department’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) would receive complaints, issue compliance recommendations, and include related findings in its annual public report, potentially coordinating with the Office of Inspector General. The act emphasizes transparency and public trust in immigration enforcement, while allowing for covert operations when necessary. Sponsor: Introduced in the Senate on July 8, 2025 by Sen. Padilla with a broad group of cosponsors, including Senators Booker, Schiff, Van Hollen, Duckworth, Blumenthal, Murray, Hirono, Welch, Wyden, Smith, Slotkin, Peters, Kim, and Klobuchar.
Key Points
- 1Visible identification requirement: All “covered immigration officers” who directly engage in a public immigration enforcement function must wear visible identification at all times during the engagement.
- 2Who is covered and what counts as public:
- 3- Covered officers include employees of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or others authorized or deputized to enforce immigration functions (including those under 287(g) or similar agreements).
- 4- A “public immigration enforcement function” includes activities like patrols, stops, arrests, searches, interviews to determine immigration status, raids, checkpoint inspections, or serving warrants—i.e., actions observable by the public. Covert or non-enforcement operations are excluded.
- 5What must be visible:
- 6- The officer’s agency name and the officer’s last name or badge/identification number.
- 7- Display must be legible from at least 25 feet and usable in daylight and low-light conditions.
- 8- Must be on the outermost garment or gear and not obscured by tactical equipment or armor.
- 9Prohibition on face coverings: Non-medical masks or balaclavas that impair visibility of the required identification are not allowed, with exceptions only for covert operations or hazardous environmental conditions.
- 10Compliance and reporting:
- 11- DHS Secretary must discipline officers who fail to comply with the identification requirements.
- 12- An annual report to Congress (and the DHS CRCL) must detail total public immigration enforcement actions, noncompliance instances, and disciplinary actions.
- 13Oversight and public accountability:
- 14- CRCL must receive and investigate complaints about violations, issue compliance recommendations, and include relevant findings in its annual public report; may coordinate with the DHS Office of Inspector General as appropriate.
- 15Public trust and transparency: The findings and structure emphasize accountability for immigration enforcement actions and aim to enhance public trust by making enforcement personnel visibly identifiable.