The Trump administration moved Monday to block California's new mask-ban laws, saying in a federal lawsuit that the state is endangering agents who already face "unprecedented" harassment and doxing, according to the Associated Press.
Federal officials argued in the AP report that masking is vital for officer safety because Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been stalked, threatened, and targeted at their homes.
The administration said California's rules violate the Constitution's Supremacy Clause and unfairly exempt the state's own police while restricting federal personnel.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a government press release that "California's anti-law enforcement policies discriminate against the federal government and are designed to create risk for our agents."
The administration framed the laws as part of what it sees as a broader hostility toward federal immigration enforcement in California.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the nation's first statewide ban on most law enforcement masking in September, the AP reported.
The law blocks ski masks, gaiters, and other facial coverings during official business, except for undercover work or protective gear such as N95 respirators.
It does not apply to state police and requires federal agencies to create a mask policy by July 1, 2026.
A companion law requires officers to wear visible identification showing their agency and badge number.
The lawsuit said masked enforcement remains essential because ICE officers have been followed, filmed, and targeted, citing an incident in Los Angeles where three women allegedly livestreamed an agent and posted his home address.
Federal lawyers wrote that anonymity protects officers from retaliation and violent targeting, and said California is stripping away a critical layer of security.
Newsom has called masked federal arrests "dystopian," arguing that residents should know precisely who is exercising police authority in their neighborhoods.
Critics also warn about the expanding role of federal agents in local policing and object to teams that operate without visible identification.
A Newsom spokesperson said federal agencies are "violating people's rights" and undermining public safety.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta's office said it is reviewing the lawsuit and argued that residents must be able to distinguish real officers from criminals posing as them, noting recent cases involving kidnappers impersonating immigration agents.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.