A proposed bill in the New York State Senate, known as the Mandating End of Lawless Tactics (MELT) Act, seeks to enforce greater transparency among federal enforcement agents, such as those from ICE, during civil immigration actions within the state.
Co-sponsored by Assemblymember Tony Simone and New York State Senator Patricia Fahy, the MELT Act would require federal immigration agents in New York to wear clearly visible uniforms complete with name badges and agency identifiers.
This legislation comes in the wake of growing concerns over law enforcement practices that obscure agent identities, prompting local officials and community leaders to voice their support for the initiative.
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine highlighted the importance of the bill at a recent press conference, expressing that the current state of affairs felt oppressive.
“This is not called democracy, this is called dictatorship,” Levine stated, emphasizing his belief that transparency is crucial for accountability.
At the same event, New York City Comptroller and former mayoral candidate Brad Lander shared his own experience with ICE, having been detained by agents during an immigration court session just a month prior to the press conference.
As the New York City mayoral race heats up, current Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani has also shown support for actions aimed at limiting ICE’s operations within the city, pledging to create policies that would effectively
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