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trump The administration filed a case on Monday CaliforniaThe new laws ban federal agents from wearing masks and require them to have identification when operating in the state.
The federal government has argued that the laws jeopardize the safety of officers who face “unprecedented” harassment, humiliation and violence and said it will not comply with them.
California became the first state to ban most law enforcement officers, including federal immigration agents, from covering their faces while conducting official business, under a bill signed in September by Gov. Gavin Newsom,
The law bans local and federal officials, including immigration enforcement agents, from wearing neck gaiters, ski masks and face coverings while they conduct official business. It makes exceptions for undercover agents, protective equipment such as N95 respirators or tactical gear, and does not apply to state police.
Newsom also signed legislation that requires law enforcement to wear clear identification showing their agency and badge number while on duty. The laws require federal law enforcement agencies to issue a mask policy by July 1, 2026, and a visible identification policy by January 1, 2026.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a press release, “California’s anti-law enforcement policies discriminate against the federal government and are designed to create risks for our agents. These laws cannot stand.”
The lawsuit says there have been numerous incidents where Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers followed and their families were threatened. It cites the case of three women los angeles Who is being accused of livestreaming an ICE agent’s home chase and posting the address on Instagram.
“Given the personal threats and violence that agents face, federal law enforcement agencies allow their officers to choose whether to wear masks to protect their identities and provide an additional layer of protection,” the lawsuit says.
Newsom has called the practice of masked federal agents arresting people across the state as “dystopian.”
Critics have raised concerns about the increasing role of federal agents in local policing and the often unidentified agents conducting immigration enforcement activities.
A spokesperson for Newsom’s office said in a statement, “If the Trump administration cared half as much about public safety as it does about condoning cop-beating, violating people’s rights, and detaining American citizens and their children, our communities would be safer.”
Federal Bureau of Investigation In October a memo was issued to law enforcement agencies across the country advising officers to clearly identify themselves in the field. It cites several incidents where masked criminals posing as immigration officers robbed and kidnapped victims.
The federal government also said in its lawsuit that these laws violate the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which prevents states from regulating the federal government. It says the law banning federal officers from wearing masks discriminates against the federal government because it exempts state police.
The office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta said it was reviewing the complaint.
“It is problematic when Californians can’t tell the difference between a law enforcement officer who is charged with protecting them and a criminal who is attempting to harm them,” Bonta’s office said in a statement. “The FBI itself has warned that the practice of ICE agents hiding their identities has led to an increase in copycats who commit crimes, threatening public safety and undermining trust in law enforcement.”