With the help of dozens of Republicans and the grudging acceptance of progressive Democrats, the House on Thursday removed ICE from the police-masking bill (S.208).
Of course, ‘requiring’ ICE to unmask was the point of the whole bill as sponsored by Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky (D/P Chittenden Central) and others.
The Senate dedicated repeated hearings and committee time to passing S.208. Angered by ICE agents wearing masks in the apprehension of Mohsen Mahdawi and others last year, the Senate had ICE in its sights all along. However, House Judiciary voted 6-5 (all five Republicans and Chair Martin LaLonde – a lawyer aware of the federal pre-emption of state laws and the likely, unsuccessful challenge) to remove the reference to federal authorities.
So instead, the House version merely requires local and state police to unmask, while ICE and other federal authorities may proceed masked.
Democrats opposed the House change, but most voted yes anyway because it was seen as better than nothing. Many Republicans voted no because they oppose mask requirements for all police, state, local, or federal.
The bill now faces third and final reading in the House. If approved, it will pass to the Senate, which must decide whether to accept the House version or send it to a conference committee.
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