February 23, 2026 NEW YORK, NY Something has shifted on the 12th and 14th floors of Manhattan’s most infamous federal building. For months, the "stranglehold" on 26 Federal Plaza has been defined by silence and anonymity. Now, for the first time in nearly a year, the flash of a lens is staring back.

The Feds are finally wearing body cameras—but there’s a catch.

From the Streets of Minneapolis to the Halls of Manhattan

This isn't a voluntary move toward transparency; it’s a policy written in blood. Following the high-profile fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis during a federal immigration sweep, the pressure on the Department of Homeland Security became a pressure cooker.

In the wake of nationwide protests, Security Secretary Kristi Noem mandated the rollout of body-worn cameras. While the tech has finally landed in New York, the execution is anything but uniform. On any given floor, you’ll see one agent "teched out" while the man standing next to him remains a total digital ghost.

"Masked Thugs" or Law Enforcement?

The rollout follows blistering criticism from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who recently compared the unidentified agents to "masked thugs unleashing brutality."

But even with cameras clipped to their chests, the agents remain hidden behind tactical masks. According to legal experts on the front lines, the hardware doesn't equal honesty.

“It’s a step towards accountability, but agents are still not identifying themselves,” says Benjamin Remy, Senior Coordinating Attorney at the New York Legal Assistance Group. “If we don’t even know which agency they work for—ICE, CBP, ATF, or FBI—how do we ever get access to that footage?”

The "Who’s Who" of Federal Enforcement

The halls of 26 Federal Plaza have become a revolving door of federal acronyms. Because the building houses a cocktail of different agencies, the rules for who wears a camera are murky at best.

• ICE & CBP: Heavily involved in the current crackdown.

• ATF, IRS, & FBI: Often present, but with varying degrees of transparency requirements.

When questioned why some were skipping the gear, one unnamed agent pointed to his colleagues and bluntly stated: “They have it because they had a problem before.”

The Surveillance Two-Way Street

The cameras aren't just for "accountability." In a disturbing trend, masked agents have been caught turning the tables—using their own devices and cameras to photograph journalists and legal aids documenting the proceedings.

While the city waits to see if these body cams will actually prevent the next tragedy, the atmosphere inside the federal building remains one of high-tension surveillance. The cameras are on, but the faces are still covered.