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LAPD Says It Won’t Enforce California Mask Ban on Federal Agents

Federal preemption claims under court review have left the statute largely dormant in Los Angeles.

Overview

  • Chief Jim McDonnell said confronting ICE over a misdemeanor would escalate risk and called the law poorly conceived.
  • The “No Secret Police Act” requires visible identification and bars most on-duty face coverings, with exceptions for undercover work, medical needs and protective gear.
  • The law took effect Jan. 1 but is under a legal stay as the Justice Department challenges California’s authority to regulate federal officers.
  • DHS has refused to comply, citing rising threats to agents and doxxing concerns, according to Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
  • The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department also said it will not enforce the ban, as recent protests in Los Angeles included clashes outside the Metropolitan Detention Center.