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Newsom Signs California Ban on Officer Face Coverings, Plus School and Health Protections

DHS condemnation signals looming court fights over California’s power to regulate federal agents.

California Governor Gavin Newsom hosts a press conference and signs a slew of climate initiative bills at the Academy of Sciences, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in San Francisco.
Supporters gather around a stage during an immigration rally on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Masked U.S. Border Patrol agents produce a show of force outside the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles while California Gov. Gavin Newsom holds a redistricting news conference in August. A law signed by Newsom on Saturday bans federal officers from wearing masks to conceal their identities starting Jan. 1.

Overview

  • Gov. Gavin Newsom signed five bills that include a first-in-the-nation prohibition on most law enforcement face coverings, prompted by masked ICE raids in Los Angeles.
  • The mask law bars ski masks, neck gaiters and similar coverings for local and federal officers with exceptions for undercover work, medical masks and tactical gear, and it takes effect Jan. 1.
  • Companion measures now in effect require officers to display identification, restrict immigration enforcement in nonpublic areas of health facilities without a court order, and mandate school notifications and warrants for campus access.
  • DHS blasted the mask ban as “despicable,” reiterated instructions for states to honor ICE detainers in letters to multiple attorneys general, and warned it would pursue appropriate measures if they do not comply.
  • Police groups and legal experts say enforcement against federal personnel is uncertain, predict lawsuits, and note the law includes infraction or misdemeanor penalties and potential personal civil liability for masked misconduct.