When Jack Riley helped run the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, his agents often went after dangerous cartel kingpins — but one thing they never did was wear masks.

So today, when the former DEA No. 2 sees U.S. immigration agents covering their faces while hauling people off or tangling with protesters, he can’t believe it.

“This is all about intimidation,” he said.

Riley, who retired from the agency in 2017, said he didn’t authorize DEA agents to cover their faces even when some of their Mexican law enforcement counterparts did.

When immigration agents obscure their faces, they risk undermining the legitimacy of every other police officer, according to Riley and the 35,000-member International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Especially when the agents don’t have their names on

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