California’s governor has signed a bill to ban local and federal law enforcement officers, including with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), from wearing face masks while on duty.<\/p>\n
The ban, which comes into effect on 1 January 2026, is part of a series of bills that aims to protect residents from what Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has called “secret police” roaming the streets.<\/p>\n
US Attorney Bill Essayli, a Trump appointee, said California “has no jurisdiction over the federal government”, adding the law has “no effect on our operations” and agents “will continue to protect their identities”.<\/p>\n
The ban is in response to federal agents wearing masks during Los Angeles immigration raids.<\/p>\n
The law makes exceptions for undercover agents, masks used to protect against disease or wildfires, and tactical gear.<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump has ramped up immigration enforcement as a priority in his second term.<\/p>\n
In June, a series of federal immigration raids in LA sparked violent protests against the Trump administration and ICE.<\/p>\n
Trump deployed 700 US Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops to the country’s second-largest city in reaction to the unrest.<\/p>\n
California State Senator Scott Wiener, a Democrat who represents San Francisco, wrote the bill in response.<\/p>\n
“No one wants masked officers roaming their communities and kidnapping people with impunity,” he said. “California will continue to stand for the rule of law and for basic freedoms.”<\/p>\n
The legislation comes after the Supreme Court ruled that immigration enforcement stops in LA could continue for the time being without officers needing reasonable suspicion that a person may not be in the US legally.<\/p>\n
That ruling allows officers to question and detain people based solely on their race, language or job while a legal challenge to recent immigration raids works its way through the courts.<\/p>\n
As well as the ban on face coverings, a new bill also requires law enforcement officials to identify themselves while conducting duties by both name and badge number.<\/p>\n
Other bills signed by Newsom on Saturday prohibit school officials and employees from allowing federal agents conducting immigration enforcement to enter school sites without a warrant, court order or judicial subpoena.<\/p>\n
Families will also need to be informed when officers arrive at their children’s schools. <\/p>\n
Student information and classrooms are also protected under these new laws.<\/p>\n
Non-public areas of hospitals and emergency rooms are also off-limits to officers who do not have judicial warrants or court orders.<\/p>\n
“Immigrants have rights and we have the right to stand up and push back,” Newsom said. <\/p>\n
In a statement on Saturday, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called California’s new legislation “despicable” and a “flagrant attempt to endanger our officers”.<\/p>\n
She said the officers at ICE and other federal law enforcement agencies “put their lives on the line every day” to do their jobs.<\/p>\n
“Make no mistake, this type of rhetoric is contributing to the surge in assaults of officers through their repeated vilification and demonization.”<\/p>\n
This is not the first time local officials have challenged the White House.<\/p>\n