Overview

• DHS declared it will not comply with California’s new 'No Secret Police Act,' calling it unconstitutional and citing agent safety and a reported 1,000% rise in assaults.
• Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said California lacks jurisdiction over federal operations, instructed agents to disregard the statute, and referred a Newsom office social post to the Secret Service.
• SB 627 prohibits identity‑obscuring face coverings for on‑duty officers in California, including federal immigration agents, with limited exemptions for undercover work and medical or safety masks, and it takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.
• Analyses highlight Supreme Court and federal rulings that prevent states from prosecuting or controlling federal officers performing official duties, signaling that courts will likely decide the dispute.
• California paired the mask rule with measures restricting ICE access to schools and requiring family alerts, while lawmakers in Illinois and in Congress are advancing similar unmasking proposals.