Exclusive: Acting ICE director defends agents’ use of masks

(NewsNation) — Todd Lyons, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, defended his agents’ use of masks in an exclusive interview with NewsNation, saying fears of doxxing have made the face coverings necessary for their safety.

“I've made it known that I'm not a fan of the masks, right? Because if you look at the last administration, even after January 20, up until February, ICE officers and agents didn't wear masks,” said Lyons. “It wasn't until high-ranking elected officials like Hakeem Jeffries calls for the doxing of ICE agents.”

Lyons also claimed protesters are using “advanced AI” to find ICE agents' addresses.

“Like I said, I'm not a proponent of the masks at all, but if it's going to keep officers safe, it's going to keep people from using advanced AI to find out their addresses and their families' information; then by all means, I'll let them do it.”

Lyons, again, said ICE is targeting the “worst of the worst,” they’re not going out apprehending people “willy nilly.” While he said agents know who they are going after, he acknowledged they will end up with “collateral,” someone who might be in the car with the target or in the home with that target, and they're in the U.S. illegally as well.

Lyons also addressed reports that cartel members are putting bounties out on his agents.

“We are going to focus all our targeted resources on going after these transnational criminals that are here hiding in plain sight,” he said. “We're going to make sure we make a significant dent in the cartel so they won't have a foothold in large cities like Chicago.”