State lawmaker introduces bill to unmask ICE in Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Could ICE officers soon have to show their faces in Virginia?

Delegate Mike Jones (D-Richmond) has introduced a bill ahead of the 2026 General Assembly Session that would prohibit federal, state, and local law enforcement from wearing a mask while performing their official duties.

“People are afraid, and nobody should be afraid,” Jones told 8News. 

Jones said his district, with a large Latino population, has a right to know who is patrolling their streets. 

“We should not live in fear of our law enforcement, and just being snatched and grabbed,” Jones said.

However, Jones said it’s not just important to the Latino community. Jones said unidentified individuals, wearing masks, carrying guns, pose a safety risk to all Virginians. 

“If someone’s outside my house in a mask, oh man, I’ve got a big dog and a firearm. I’m gonna protect my surroundings, and I would hate for something like that to impact a law enforcement officer who’s simply trying to do their job,” Jones told 8News. 

Lawmakers in California have already passed a similar bill. The Trump administration is challenging it in court, saying it could put officers at risk, and states don’t have the authority to control the federal government. 

In a statement posted on X, the Republican Party of Virginia said, “Yet another policy straight out of Crazy California. Virginia Democrats have smeared and demonized law enforcement, putting a target squarely on their backs. Now they want to make it even easier for far-left lunatics to terrorize and harm LE [law enforcement] agents & their families."