State Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville) on Monday filed legislation that would establish a new criminal offense for law enforcement officers, including federal agents at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to wear face masks when dealing with the public.
Titled the Stop American Gestapo Act (SAGA), the Democrat’s House Bill (HB) 1442 would make it a Class C misdemeanor in Tennessee for law enforcement officers, including federal agents, to “wear a mask, face covering, or personal disguise while interacting with the public in the performance of the law enforcement officer’s official duties.”
The Nashville Democrat included minor exceptions for masks that could be used to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, the inhalation of smoke, or are typically used by Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams.
Jones’ legislation also seeks to prohibit ICE agents from performing their duties, “without clearly displaying the officer’s name or badge number,” which would also result in a Class C misdemeanor charge.
In Tennessee, such offenses are punishable by a fine of up to $50 or up to 30 days in jail.
Alluding to the recent federal enforcement operation that saw nearly 200 illegal immigrants detained in Nashville in May, the lawmaker’s office claimed in a press release reported by The Tennessean that ICE has “endangered the most vulnerable in our communities.” Jones additionally claimed the law would send “an important measure to bring accountability to the rogue practices of officers increasingly acting as ‘secret police’ under the Trump administration.”
Jones’ legislation was announced less than one month after an effort by California Democrats, who similarly seek to impose laws restricting federal law enforcement, even as Republicans in the state have warned about a possible violation of the Supremacy Clause in the U.S. Constitution.
ICE said last month that agents are wearing masks in response to triple-digit increases in assaults on officers, as well as alleged doxxing by anti-ICE protesters, which has reportedly resulted in the private, personal details of agents’ family members being released publicly.
“A lot of agencies were invited to come out, two weeks ago, in Los Angeles, where we ran an operation where ICE officers were doxxed,” said Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons last month. “I’m sorry if people are offended by them wearing masks, but I’m not going to let my officers and agents go out there, put their officers on their line, put their families on the line, because people don’t like what immigration enforcement is.”
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn similarly condemned the effort by California Democrats in a post to X, where she wrote that face coverings are employed to protect the identity of agents’ family members.
“Do not forget—targeted attacks on ICE agents are up 413 [percent],” wrote Blackburn. “This is yet another shameless attempt to put them in harm’s way.”
A congressional probe was announced last month by U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) regarding Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s response to federal immigration enforcement in May.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
I don’t know where his current address is but his future one should be in Hell!!!
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It’s well worth remembering that the former Vice-Puppet Harris said that Justina Jones is the future of the Democrat Party. They want the complete destruction of the United States and its Constitutional Republican form of government and replaced with a Marxist-Stalinist dictatorship. But one that would make Cuba, North Korea and Venezuela look like a Conservative paradise by comparison. These are VERY evil individuals.
Someone besides Justin Jones came up with this idea ” like Commie Freddie”.
I say that bc JJ is a kid, who is not smart enough to come up with any idea for legislation. He is a puppet,cwho dies what he is told by the LEFT, aka the DEMOCRAT SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA aka COMMUNIST. He has never held a responsible job in his life. The only record he has is a list of violent law infractions since he moved here from CA to attend Fisk University. But rather than use his “education” to do good for his adopted community, he became a violent protester during the BLM riots. He Never held a job, Never been married, Never had children. He has no life experience to qualify him to be employed by anyone. So how is it he got elected to the Tennessee State House? He ran in a District where there was no opposition, so he just walked into this position, which gives him the privilege to vote on Tennessee laws that productive Tennessee taxpayers have to abide by & additionally have to pay the salary & benefits for this unemployable fraud.
He was the perfect choice for the Democrat Socialists of America ( aka Communists.)
He is not smart, unemployable, totally controllable & dependent on DSA for his survival.
These are the same profiles used by the DSA in selecting Council Members to run for Metro Council.
THESE SOCIALISTS WILL DESTROY OUR COUNTRY ONE CITY, ONE STATE AT A TIME.
Jones is a clown. And those who voted him into office are even dumber. The same guy that cries racism at every turn, yet hides behind it to protect his “integrity.” What a loser.
The radical Left is already harassing law enforcement, and has now resorted to harassing their families, including their children. It will only be a matter of time until “harassment” includes violence, and even murder. What should be illegal is for protesters and is for protesters to wear masks. Anyone peacefully protesting and in the country legally should not need to hide their identity.
If the ATF or FBI was going after law-abiding citizens to enforce a gun ban, like the one proposed by the Communist Democrat mayoral candidate in NYC, Justin Jones would be cheering them on.
“A system of licensing and registration is the perfect device to deny gun ownership to the bourgeoisie.”
—Vladimir Lenin, Communist Dictator after Bolshevik Revolution in Russia
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It’s OK for the antifa a$$ holes to wear masks, but not law enforcement? That is total leftist BS. How about someone post Jone’s address???