California Governor Gavin Newsom has increased his protests against the Donald Trump administration’s policies on illegal immigrant crackdowns and deportations. Publicly criticizing the Trump administration, Newsom recently took direct action to block the mask-wearing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers who have long terrorized local residents.
According to CNN and other foreign media on the 21st (local time), Newsom signed a bill the previous day that prohibits federal agents from wearing masks to conceal their identities during law enforcement activities. This means ICE agents will be barred from wearing balaclavas, ski masks, or other face-covering equipment when conducting immigration enforcement in California starting January 1 of next year.
The bill criminalizes face-covering by law enforcement officers, including ICE agents, during duty except in specially regulated cases. However, medical or surgical masks for disease prevention are permitted, and exceptions apply to SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) personnel. Additionally, all law enforcement agencies operating in California must establish and publicly disclose policies restricting face-covering by July 1 of next year.
Newsom criticized ICE’s immigration enforcement, stating, “Unmarked vehicles and masked individuals appear, and people disappear—it’s like a dystopian science fiction movie.” He emphasized that 27% of California’s population was born abroad while signing the bill. “We respect diversity. That is what makes California great and what makes America great,” he said. “But America is under attack now.” This statement directly contradicts the Trump administration’s stance on enforcing immigration crackdowns.
Newsom signed a total of five bills, including the mask ban. The other bills include: ▲prohibiting ICE agents from entering schools without a valid judicial warrant; ▲requiring school administrators to notify families if agents are present on campus; ▲preventing medical personnel from sharing patients’ immigration status without a search warrant; and ▲mandating all law enforcement agencies to display identification or badge numbers.
The Washington Post (WP) reported, “The mask ban is one of five bills signed by Newsom, who has long harbored ambitions to enter the White House, in opposition to Trump’s immigration crackdown.” It added, “This is the first law of its kind in the U.S.,” and “The measure aims to end ICE agents’ practices, which have been criticized for undermining transparency, instilling fear, and allowing criminals to impersonate federal agents.”
The Department of Homeland Security, ICE’s parent agency, has permitted mask-wearing during law enforcement, citing agents’ safety. Trisha McLaughlin, a DHS spokesperson, criticized the new California law as “underhanded” and “a blatant attempt to endanger our agents.” She also noted increasing incidents where agents face attacks, such as being struck with rocks or Molotov cocktails during immigration enforcement.
Some contend that mask bans on federal agents cannot be enforced by state governments. “California has no jurisdiction over the federal government,” said California acting U.S. attorney Bill Esemily on social media site X, and “any mask restrictions imposed by agencies will not affect operations.
In addition to court cases, the push to outlaw the masks worn by ICE agents is expanding to other areas. Democratic members of Congress and lawmakers from Tennessee, Michigan, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania have reportedly put forth identical proposals.
