Overview
- LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said sending city officers to confront armed federal agents over a potential misdemeanor would escalate risk and run counter to de‑escalation.
- SB 627 restricts law enforcement from wearing face coverings during official duties, with exceptions for undercover operations, medical needs, and protective gear, and makes violations citable as misdemeanors.
- The U.S. Department of Justice under President Trump has sued to block the law on Supremacy Clause grounds, and enforcement has been effectively stayed since it took effect on January 1.
- DHS and ICE say they will not comply, arguing forced identification endangers agents by increasing risks of doxxing, harassment, and violence.
- The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department also says it will not enforce the statute, and recent protests in Los Angeles included clashes outside the Metropolitan Detention Center.