A federal judge on Monday prevented a California law from taking effect that would have barred federal immigration agents from covering their faces, though agents must still display clear identification showing their agency and badge number.
California became the first state to prohibit most law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings under a bill signed in September after a summer marked by high-profile Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Los Angeles.
The Trump administration filed a lawsuit in November challenging the law, arguing it endangered officers facing harassment, doxing and violence and violated the Constitution by allowing the state to regulate the federal government directly.
Judge Christina Snyder said she issued the initial ruling because the mask ban, as written, did not apply to state law enforcement agencies, thereby discriminating against the federal government. The decision could carry national implications as states confront how to respond to federal agents enforcing the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Snyder left open the possibility of future legislation banning federal agents from wearing masks if it applied to all law enforcement agencies, writing, “the Court finds that federal officers can perform their federal functions without wearing masks.” The ruling takes effect Feb. 19.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill in September banning certain law enforcement officers from wearing masks, neck gaiters and other facial coverings. The law was scheduled to take effect Jan. 1 but was paused due to the lawsuit.
The measure exempted state law enforcement officers and allowed exceptions for undercover agents, protective equipment such as N95 respirators or tactical gear, and situations where removing a mask would jeopardize an operation. Snyder agreed with the federal government’s argument that exempting state officers discriminated against federal agents.
Newsom also approved a separate law requiring officers to display clear identification showing their agency and badge number while on duty. The federal government challenged that requirement, but Snyder upheld it. In a statement, Newsom called the ruling “a clear win for the rule of law.”
California State Sen. Scott Weiner, who introduced the original bill banning facial coverings, said Monday he would immediately propose new legislation to include state police.
“ICE and Border Patrol are covering their faces to maximize their terror campaign and to insulate themselves from accountability,” Weiner said in a news release. “We will ensure our mask ban can be enforced.”
During a Jan. 14 hearing, Snyder repeatedly asked government attorney Tiberius Davis to explain how prohibiting masks would hinder federal law enforcement if officers rarely wore them before 2025.
Davis pointed to claims from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of a significant rise in assaults and threats against federal officers. He also referenced an incident in Los Angeles in which three women allegedly livestreamed while following an ICE agent home and posting the address on Instagram.
“There is real deterrence on the officer’s safety and ability to perform their duties,” Davis said.
Cameron Bell, an attorney for the California Department of Justice, disputed those claims, arguing there was no solid evidence that federal agents could not perform their duties without facial coverings.
Bell cited declarations from U.S. citizens who were detained by federal agents but believed they were being kidnapped.
“It’s obvious why these laws are in the public interest,” Bell said.
In court filings, the federal government also argued that allowing California’s law to stand could encourage other states to impose similar unconstitutional restrictions.
Davis referenced a July 2025 interview in which Newsom discussed the bill and said, “It appears that we don’t have the legal authority for federal agents but we do for other law enforcement authorities.”
In December, Los Angeles County supervisors voted to implement a local ordinance banning law enforcement officers from wearing masks, which took effect Jan. 8. However, the sheriff’s department said it would not enforce the ordinance until the court ruled on the statewide ban. The Los Angeles Police Department also stated it would not enforce the mask prohibition.