A federal judge struck down California’s groundbreaking law that would have banned Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from wearing face masks, ruling the measure unconstitutionally discriminated against federal authorities while exempting state and local officers.

Court Rules Against Discriminatory Enforcement

Judge Christina Snyder issued the preliminary injunction, blocking the California law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September. The measure emerged following high-profile ICE raids in Los Angeles last summer, making California the first state to restrict law enforcement face coverings. Snyder determined the ban violated constitutional principles by targeting only federal agents while allowing state and local officers to continue wearing masks during operations.

The Trump administration challenged the law in November, arguing that masked officers face increased harassment, doxxing, and violence. Attorney General Pam Bondi celebrated the ruling as a “key court victory,” emphasizing that federal agents are “attacked on a regular basis just for doing their jobs.” The Justice Department maintained that denying officers protective face coverings would discourage law enforcement recruitment and compromise officer safety during immigration enforcement operations.

California Lawmakers Vow Legislative Response

State Senator Scott Weiner, who authored the original legislation, immediately promised new bills extending mask restrictions to state police. Weiner accused ICE and Border Patrol of using face coverings to “maximize their terror campaign and insulate themselves from accountability.” California Attorney General Rob Bonta criticized the administration for deploying “masked and unidentified agents” beyond normal enforcement practices, while acknowledging the separate identification requirement ruling as promoting transparency.

National Implications for Immigration Enforcement

The decision carries significant implications as multiple states confront federal immigration policies. Congressional leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries recently demanded legislation prohibiting ICE agents from wearing face coverings, while Massachusetts and New York lawmakers introduced similar mask restriction bills. Judge Snyder upheld California’s separate law requiring visible identification badges, which both federal and state officers must display. The ruling establishes precedent for constitutional challenges as states attempt to regulate federal immigration enforcement within their borders during the Trump administration’s expanded operations.