Story highlights Rep. Nydia Velazquez says it's misleading for ICE officers to call themselves police

The bill would prohibit ICE agents from wearing clothing with "police" on it

Washington (CNN) A bill introduced Thursday aims to thwart Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from wearing clothing labeled with the words "police," arguing the practice is deceiving.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-New York, comes on the heels of images and videos circulating recently that show ICE agents identifying as police officers while conducting raids. Photos of operations dating back years show ICE officers wearing jackets and vests usually reading in large letters: "POLICE ICE." The legislation would also extend to Customs and Border Protection agents.

"Not only are ICE raids an unconscionable attack on our most vulnerable communities, any attempt by immigration officers to deceivingly pose as local police ought to be prohibited," Velazquez said in a statement. "After holding various 'Know Your Rights' workshops in my district, I've heard firsthand from families who fear reporting crime or engaging with the police due to the potential of getting caught up with immigration agents. This only makes our communities less safe."

Whether ICE agents qualify as true police officers has been a recurring topic of debate.

Sarah Rodriguez, an ICE spokeswoman, told CNN that ICE agents may sometimes verbally identify themselves as police when they're going into a situation.

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