‘Clueless’ Geraldo Rivera Gets Raked Over The Coals For Attack On Law Enforcement

Veteran TV personality Geraldo Rivera is facing a torrent of backlash online after publicly questioning why Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents wear masks during enforcement operations.

“Cops do not wear masks. They deal with the most dangerous elements in society. Why do ICE agents wear masks? What are they hiding?” Rivera posted Monday night to X, formerly Twitter.

He doubled down moments later: “Judges don’t wear masks. Sheriffs don’t wear masks. Marshals don’t wear masks. FBI agents don’t wear masks. Court officers don’t wear masks. Cops don’t wear masks. Only ICE agents.”

Rivera’s take ignited swift criticism from law enforcement supporters, veterans, and everyday users who blasted the long-time liberal commentator for ignoring the serious threats ICE agents face.

Judges don’t wear masks. Sheriffs don’t wear masks. Marshals don’t wear masks. FBI agents don’t wear masks. Court officers don’t wear masks. Cops don’t wear masks.
Only ICE agents. https://t.co/20i5VXRUgk

— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) July 9, 2025

“You know nothing about law enforcement families and their risks,” one user replied. Another, a former Dallas-area officer with nearly three decades of experience, wrote: “I like you, but just like with Al Capone’s vault, you embarrass yourself here.”

Others noted that tactical teams in virtually every agency—from FBI to ATF—have long worn masks in high-risk situations to shield their identity.

“Judges don’t, sure. Sheriff’s tactical teams do, FBI and ATF has since the 1980s,” one user explained, referencing federal agents’ response to Waco in the ’90s. “It’s easy to look this stuff up.”

Some took a harsher tone. “And you know this,” one user snapped. “So f*** off.”

The mask debate isn’t new. ICE agents in cities like Los Angeles and Hartford have recently been spotted wearing face coverings and operating in plain clothes while conducting arrests in unmarked vehicles. The tactic has drawn criticism from immigration activists and Democratic lawmakers who argue it erodes trust and transparency.

But ICE leaders push back hard.

“We ran an operation where Ice officers were doxed,” Lyons explained in June. “People are out there taking photos of the names and their faces and posting them online with death threats to their family and themselves, so 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 and put their lives on the line and their family on the line because people don’t like what immigration enforcement is.”

Officials within the Department of Homeland Security back that position. There’s no federal law barring ICE agents from wearing face masks. While officers must identify themselves “as soon as it is practical and safe,” there is no requirement that they show their faces to the public.

Despite that, some states and left-wing lawmakers are pushing legislation to require agents to remove their masks during operations. California Democrats, for instance, have advanced state bills to prohibit non-medical face coverings and demand that agents clearly display their name and badge. A federal version, the VISIBLE Act, introduced by Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), would do the same—except in covert ops or when gas masks are needed.

But critics argue these moves are more about politics than safety.

“The people who complain about ICE masks never say a word about Antifa rioters doing the same thing,” one user posted. “They’re not worried about transparency. They’re just anti-enforcement.”