Overview

• Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a five-bill package anchored by SB 627, the first-in-the-nation “No Secret Police Act” prohibiting most officers, including ICE and CBP, from concealing their faces in California.
• The mask ban takes effect Jan. 1, 2026, while new rules limiting immigration enforcement in schools and hospitals and requiring school notifications and officer identification are now in force.
• The law makes it a misdemeanor for officers to wear face coverings while interacting with the public, with exceptions for undercover assignments, medical masks and certain tactical gear.
• DHS denounced the measure and Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the department will not abide by it, and acting U.S. attorney Bill Essayli asserted California lacks authority over federal agents.
• The legislation follows masked federal raids in Los Angeles that triggered protests and a National Guard deployment, and legal experts expect court challenges under the Supremacy Clause before the ban’s effective date.