3 days ago
ICE agents ‘doxed' on social media, wear masks after receiving death threats, director says
Why do the agents wear masks?
Monday's press conference in Boston had essentially ended. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons had walked off the stage with other federal law enforcement officials, just as a reporter asked the question.
They had just announced the arrest of nearly 1,500 people in Massachusetts, in the month of May alone, who are living in the U.S. illegally.
More than half of those arrests, Lyons said, were of people with 'significant' criminal backgrounds -- convicted murderers sought by Interpol, child rapists, drug traffickers.
Moments later, Lyons, a native of South Boston and a graduate of Boston College High School in Dorchester, walked back onto the stage.
'Hang on. I'm going to answer the mask question," he said.
Federal officers have been 'doxed' on social media, and often wear masks while on duty and making immigration arrests after officers, and their families, have received death threats, Lyons said.
'A lot of agencies were invited to come out two weeks ago in Los Angeles where we ran our operation where ICE officers were doxed,' Lyons said.
'So let's just say that again. People are out there taking photos of the names, their faces and posting them online with death threats to their family and themselves,' Lyons said.
'So I'm sorry if people are offended by them wearing masks, but I'm not gonna let my officers and agents go out there and put their lives on the line and their family on the line because people don't like what immigration enforcement is,' Lyons said.
In press releases released by ICE, when the agency publicly releases photographs of the arrests of foreign nationals who are in the United States illegally, federal agents are typically shown not facing the camera, or they wear masks covering their face.
'They are wearing those masks because we ran an operation with the Secret Service where we arrested someone that was going online, taking their photos, posting their families', their kids' Instagram, their kids Facebooks' and targeting them,' Lyons said Monday.
In late May, Lyons said assaults against ICE officers are up 400 percent since this time period last year.
Lyons' comments about the masks came weeks after reported assaults on law enforcement officers in a Worcester neighborhood on May 8.
On May 16, the city of Worcester released body camera footage after chaos erupted when a crowd surrounded and assaulted law enforcement officers.
A link to the full body camera video can be found here. ICE agents at the time were trying to detain Brazilian national Rosane Ferreira de Oliveira, 40, who is in the country illegally and faces previous criminal assault charges, federal authorities said.
Several people, including City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj and Worcester School Committee candidate Ashley Spring, are seen in the videos shouting angrily at the officers and pushing and shoving the officers. Spring, 38, was later arrested, accused of throwing an unknown substance at an officer.
During Monday's press conference, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley denounced anyone who threatens, assaults or interferes with law enforcement officers doing their job.
'We will not tolerate anyone who impedes or obstructs ICE operations,' Foley said. 'What I have seen on the news and in social media is concerning, to say the least.'
'Agent safety is paramount and it is a felony to threaten or assault a federal agent. I want to be clear about that,' Foley said Monday. 'No one is above the law. This is non-negotiable. The law in this area is clear and I will not sit idly by and watch federal agents being threatened.'
Lyons, in talking about the masks, echoed Foley's comments. He also posed a few questions to reporters.
'So let me ask: Is that the issue here? That we're just upset about the masks? Or is anyone upset with the fact that ICE officers' families were labeled terrorist?' Lyons said.
And Lyons walked off the stage.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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