Federal judge blocks California law banning masks for immigration agents
A Los Angeles federal judge struck down California's mask ban for federal law enforcement but upheld a requirement for visible identification badges.
43 min ago
A federal judge on Monday blocked a California law from taking effect that would have banned federal immigration agents from covering their faces during enforcement operations.
U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder issued a preliminary injunction against the mask ban, ruling it unconstitutional. However, she upheld a companion provision requiring federal agents to display clear identification showing their agency and badge number.
California became the first state to enact such a mask ban following high-profile Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Los Angeles during summer 2025. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the legislation, officially titled the "No Secret Police Act," in September 2025. The law would have prohibited federal agents from covering their faces during immigration enforcement operations, with only narrow exceptions permitted under specific circumstances.
The Trump administration filed a lawsuit in November 2025 challenging the law. Officials argued the mask ban would threaten officer safety by exposing agents to harassment, doxing, and violence. They also contended the law violated the Constitution by allowing the state to directly regulate the federal government.
Judge Snyder's 30-page ruling found the law discriminatory because it exempted state law enforcement officers from the same restrictions. "The act treats federal law enforcement officers differently than similarly situated state law enforcement officers," Snyder wrote in her decision. The judge, appointed by President Bill Clinton, determined this differential treatment violated a constitutional clause preventing discrimination against federal government bodies.
The ruling produced a split outcome. The blocked mask ban represented a setback for California's Democratic leadership, which had sought to restrict federal agents' ability to conceal their identities. The Trump administration secured a victory on the mask provision but did not prevent the identification requirement from taking effect.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, whose Justice Department had challenged the California law, issued a statement characterizing the ruling as a win for her office. The identification requirement mandates that federal agents wear badges displaying their agency affiliation and registration number in visible locations during operations.
The preliminary injunction prevents the mask ban from going into effect while legal challenges continue. The identification badge requirement remains enforceable under the judge's ruling.