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2h ago

California Sends Mask Ban for Law Enforcement, Including ICE, to Newsom

Newsom now weighs the measures under questions about state power over federal agents.

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.
An ICE agent plans his escape through an angry crowd after an immigrant raid on Atlantic Boulevard in Bell, California, on June 20, 2025.
People hold signs as they protest U.S. President Donald Trump's deportation policy on August 07, 2025 in New York City.
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Overview

  • The Legislature approved SB 627 to bar on-duty officers from covering their faces, applying to local and federal personnel with narrow exceptions for undercover work, SWAT operations, and medical or protective gear.
  • A companion bill, SB 805, requires plainclothes officers to display their agency and a name or badge number, expands impersonation laws, and bans using bounty hunters for immigration enforcement.
  • SB 627 sets civil penalties starting at $10,000 and allows criminal penalties if an agency refuses to adopt an enforcement policy.
  • Gov. Gavin Newsom has until Oct. 12 to sign or veto the bills, and he has questioned whether California can impose such rules on federal agents.
  • Backers argue the measures curb "secret police" tactics and rebuild trust, while law enforcement groups and DHS officials warn the restrictions could jeopardize officer safety and interfere with federal operations.