Trump administration sues California over laws banning masked federal agents

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Trump administration sued Monday over new California laws that prohibit federal agents from wearing masks and require identification while conducting operations in the state.

The federal government has argued that the laws threaten the safety of officers who face “unprecedented” harassment, doxing and violence and has said it will not enforce them.

California became the first state to ban most law enforcement officers, including federal immigration agents, from wearing face coverings while conducting official business under a bill signed in September by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The law prohibits neck gaiters, balaclavas and other face coverings for local and federal agents, including immigration agents, while conducting official business. It makes exceptions for undercover officers, protective equipment such as N95 respirators or tactical gear, and does not apply to state police.

Newsom also signed legislation requiring law enforcement to wear clear identification showing their agency and badge number while on the job. 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.

“California’s anti-law enforcement policies discriminate against the federal government and are designed to create risks for our officers. These laws cannot stand,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a news release.

via News

The lawsuit says there have been multiple incidents in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were followed and their families threatened. It cites a case of three women in Los Angeles who are being accused of livestreaming while following an ICE agent to his home and posting the address on Instagram.

“Given the personal threats and violence officers face, federal law enforcement agencies allow their officers to choose whether to wear masks to protect their identities and provide an additional layer of security,” the lawsuit says.

Newsom has called the practice of masked federal agents arresting people across the state “dystopian.”

Critics have raised concerns about the increasing role of federal agents in local surveillance and often unidentified agents conducting immigration enforcement activities.

“If the Trump administration cared about public safety half as much as it cares about pardoning those who beat police officers, violate people’s rights, and detain American citizens and their children, our communities would be much safer,” a spokesperson for Newsom’s office said in a statement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a memo in October to law enforcement agencies across the country advising officers to clearly identify themselves in the field. He cited several incidents in which masked criminals posed as immigration agents, robbed and kidnapped victims.

The federal government also said in its lawsuit that the laws violate the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which prohibits states from regulating the federal government. He said the law prohibiting federal agents from wearing masks discriminates against the federal government because it exempts state police.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office said it was reviewing the complaint.

“It is problematic when Californians cannot distinguish between a law enforcement officer charged with protecting them and a criminal intent on causing them harm,” Bonta’s office said in a statement. “The FBI itself has warned that ICE agents’ practice of concealing their identity has led to an increase in impersonators committing crimes, threatening public safety and eroding trust in law enforcement.”