House Speaker Johnson: Dems who want ICE agents unmasked 'mandated mask wearing for years' during COVID

House Speaker Mike Johnson notified Fox News on Friday that Democrats pushing for ICE agents to unmask themselves are the same people who mandated mask wearing for years in America during the coronavirus pandemic Johnson was appealed by Fox News for his reaction as specific Democrats including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have suggested that the ICE agents who are arresting certain of these displaced persons should not be wearing masks From the people who mandated mask wearing for years in America It's absurd They need to back off of ICE and respect our agents and stop protesting against them Johnson disclosed They're trying to uphold the rule of law and they don't want to be targeted by Democrat activists So I'm in favor of whatever protocol Jeffries explained Tuesday that ICE agents who attempt to conceal their identities from the American people will be unsuccessful in doing that and they will all be identified no matter what it takes no matter how long it takes ICE OFFICIAL PUTS POLITICIANS ON BLAST DEMANDING THEY STOP PUTTING MY PEOPLE IN DANGER Johnson was then petitioned Friday so you're okay with these agents sort of not identifying themselves when they're arresting settlers Why So that they can target them he responded So they can put their names and faces online and dox them That's what these activists do So we have to protect those who protect our communities And it's absurd for anybody members of Congress or any other elected leader to be calling out ICE for trying to do their job They've made it tough for them to do it for years and I just think it's patently absurd Johnson also explained At his weekly press conference Friday Fox News questioned Jeffries if he was concerned that possibly demasking specific ICE agents puts them or their families safety at menace It seems to me that the officers at the Department of Homeland Assurance including ICE should be held to the same standards as every other part of law enforcement in terms of transparency the Democrat from New York noted HOMELAND PRECAUTION SAYS BOSTON S MAYOR COMPARING ICE AGENTS TO NEO-NAZIS IS SICKENING On Jeffries official X account in September he wrote It s not that complicated Wear A Mask Then around a year later in August Jeffries noted Get vaccinated Wear a mask Crush the virus Two Democrat senators from Virginia Mark Warner and Tim Kaine also wrote a letter last month to Homeland Prevention Secretary Kristi Noem Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons and other top executives about ICE s newest immigration enforcement operations taking an alarming and dangerous turn Across the country and in Virginia masked ICE officers and agents without clearly visible identification as law enforcement have been arresting individuals on the streets and in sensitive locations such as courthouses Such actions put everyone at pitfall the targeted individuals the ICE officers and agents and bystanders who may misunderstand what is happening and may attempt to intervene they noted WHITE HOUSE BACKS MAJOR REGULATION TO SPEED UP DEPORTATIONS We urge you to direct ICE officers and agents to promptly and clearly identify themselves as law enforcement officers conducting law enforcement actions when arresting subjects and limit the use of face coverings during arrests and other enforcement actions to avoid intimidation and reduce safety risks to the citizens the Senators added In August Kaine pushed mask wearing as well writing in a Facebook post that he was Deeply concerned about the rapid rise of COVID- delta variant infections we are seeing across the Commonwealth and that We should do all we can to help stop the spread of the virus and keep ourselves and our loved ones safe including following CDC guidance such as getting vaccinated masking up indoors and social distancing Folks let s continue to protect ourselves by getting vaccinated masking up and social distancing so we can safely return to all of the exercises we love Warner added at the time Representatives for Jeffries Kaine and Warner did not at once respond Friday to requests for comment from Fox News Digital Fox News Chad Pergram Tyler Olson and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this account