Mike German, an ex-FBI agent, said immigration agents hiding their identities ‘highlights the illegitimacy of actions’

Some wear balaclavas. Some wear neck gators, sunglasses and hats. Some wear masks and casual clothes.

Across the country, armed federal immigration officers have increasingly hidden their identities while carrying out immigration raids, arresting protesters and roughing up prominent Democratic critics.

It’s a trend that has sparked alarm among civil rights and law enforcement experts alike.

Mike German, a former FBI agent, said officers’ widespread use of masks was unprecedented in US law enforcement and a sign of a rapidly eroding democracy. “Masking symbolizes the drift of law enforcement away from democratic controls,” he said.

    • Fondots@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      76
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      11 hours ago

      I work in 911 dispatch

      During COVID we had to ask all of our callers some extra questions if they were going to be in contact with any of our units

      Something along the lines of “has anyone there had or been in contact with anyone who has had flu-like symptoms recently?”

      And if they did we added a note to the call indicating that.

      One night I got a call from one of our off-duty officers calling in an accident he witnessed.

      I get all the usual information and start asking our COVID questions

      And he gets really indignant about it “why are you asking me this?” “This is stupid.” Etc.

      Like dude, you’re one of our officers. We’ve been advising you about potential COVID exposures on your own calls, where do you think we were getting that information? This shit is for your benefit, not ours, I can’t catch COVID from someone over the phone (the disease vectors sitting the consoles adjacent to me could be another story)

      And that’s pretty typical of how cops act towards us, the people they rely on to give them information they need to do their jobs, send them backup when needed, etc. blows my mind that so many of my co-workers are absolute bootlickers.

      • redsand@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        13
        ·
        3 hours ago

        This describes half of most departments. The good cops burn out from the idiocy from all sides and end up fire fighters, EMTs, bartenders and roofers. The dumb ones stay and try not to get fired until they can get that penchant.

    • Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      44
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      11 hours ago

      “I cAnT bReAtHe!!!”

      Yes you can, asshole. It’s a slight inconvience, but it’s a far cry from not getting oxygen.

      But oh, now that it’s being used to conceil your identity, you’re all fine???