U.S. Representative Dan Goldman (D-NY) stood outside a Manhattan courtroom this week and reported that he observed an immigration court and “plainclothes officers wearing masks arresting and detaining immigrants who were here to appear in front of a judge as part of their court case.”
Goldman, a former federal prosecutor, said: “This is Gestapo-like behavior, where plainclothes officers wearing masks are terrorizing immigrants who are doing the right thing by going to court, following up on their immigrant proceedings and trying to come into this country lawfully, which is through asylum.”
Spare me the fake outrage @DHSgov.
— Daniel Goldman (@danielsgoldman) May 30, 2025
None of these people showing up for court are criminals of any kind.
As a prosecutor, I worked with many ICE officers who arrested violent criminals. None of them wore masks.
Many of your agents are clearly ashamed to carry out your orders. https://t.co/sURez4kIll
Goldman said in all his years working with Homeland Security and other agencies, “I have never seen any plainclothes officer wearing a mask. And I asked them, why? One person told me ‘because it’s cold.'”
He said another officer admitted that they were wearing masks “so they’re not caught on video.” Goldman noted the hypocrisy of the Trump administration cracking down on protestors at college campuses wearing masks.
The Department of Homeland Security replied to Goldman on X by writing: ” It is absolutely sickening for Congressman Goldman to compare ICE law enforcement agents to the Nazi Gestapo. When our heroic law enforcement officers conduct operations, they clearly identify themselves as law enforcement while wearing masks to protect themselves from being targeted by known and suspected gang members, murderers, and rapists. Attacks and demonization of our brave law enforcement is WRONG. ICE officers are now facing a 413% increase in assaults.”
Goldman replied: “Spare me the fake outrage DHS. None of these people showing up for court are criminals of any kind. As a prosecutor, I worked with many ICE officers who arrested violent criminals. None of them wore masks. Many of your agents are clearly ashamed to carry out your orders.”
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