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8h ago

Justice Department Sues California Over Laws Requiring Federal Officers to Unmask and Identify Themselves

The case tests whether California can impose transparency rules on federal agents under the Supremacy Clause.

The Justice Department sued California Monday over two laws prohibiting federal officers from wearing masks and requiring them to display their name or badge number.
A law enforcement officer stands as people filled the streets of downtown Los Angeles in a massive 'No Kings' march, starting at City Hall and Molina Park.
FILE - Law enforcement officers stand guard during a protest, June 14, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)
FILE - A woman stands off with a law enforcement officer wearing a Houston Field Office Special Response Team patch outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs building during a protest in Portland, Ore., June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Overview

  • The DOJ filed suit in the Central District of California seeking preliminary and permanent injunctions and says federal agencies will not comply with the statutes.
  • SB805, requiring non‑uniformed officers to display visible identification, is already in effect, while SB627’s mask ban is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
  • Both laws include exceptions for undercover operations and for medical or tactical gear, and critics note exemptions for some state police as evidence of discriminatory treatment of federal officers.
  • Federal officials argue the measures endanger agents and violate the Supremacy Clause, citing doxxing, threats to families, and a rise in assaults on ICE personnel.
  • California leaders defend the laws as public‑safety and accountability measures after masked immigration raids, pointing to an FBI advisory urging clearer identification to deter criminals posing as officers.