Particle.news
Download on the App Store
16 ARTICLES
·
3h ago

California Passes Police Mask Ban, Sending Measure to Newsom and Testing State Authority Over Federal Agents

Newsom now weighs constitutionality, with any effort to apply the rules to federal officers widely expected to be challenged in court.

Los Angeles, CA – August 14: Gregory Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent of the El Centro Sector and Commander-Operation At Large CA (center), marches with federal agents to the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building after US Border Patrol agents produced a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum where Gov. Newsom was holding a redistricting press conference on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
U.S. Border Patrol officers march to the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building after a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum where California Gov. Gavin Newsom was holding a redistricting press conference on Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles.
FILE - Law enforcement officers stand guard during a protest June 14, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)
An ICE agent plans his escape through an angry crowd after an immigrant raid on Atlantic Boulevard in Bell, California, on June 20, 2025.

Overview

  • SB 627, the No Secret Police Act, would bar most on‑duty officers in California, including ICE and other federal agents, from wearing identity‑concealing face coverings, with exemptions for undercover work, SWAT operations, and medical or safety gear.
  • Companion bill SB 805 would require plainclothes officers to visibly display their agency and either a name or badge number, and it expands anti‑impersonation provisions and restricts the use of bounty hunters for immigration enforcement.
  • The Legislature approved the bills along party lines and sent them to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has until Oct. 12 to sign or veto; if enacted, agencies must adopt compliant policies by 2026, with civil fines starting at $10,000 and potential criminal penalties tied to noncompliance.
  • Legal experts disagree on whether California can enforce the mask ban on federal officers, with supporters citing Erwin Chemerinsky’s view that state rules apply unless they significantly interfere with federal duties and opponents pointing to the Supremacy Clause.
  • Lawmakers advanced the measures after high‑profile Los Angeles raids by masked ICE agents spurred protests, as DHS defends masks to guard against doxxing and rising assaults and after the Supreme Court allowed sweeping operations in the city to proceed.