California Passes Bill Banning Face Masks for Law Enforcement
California lawmakers passed a measure that would ban most law enforcement officers from covering their faces while on the job.AFP via Getty Images
California lawmakers have passed a bill that would prohibit most law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings while on duty, in response to recent immigration raids in the Los Angeles area where some federal agents concealed their identities with masks.
The legislation, approved Thursday, now awaits Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature. If signed into law, it would be the first statewide measure of its kind, though similar bills have been proposed in states like Tennessee, Michigan, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
The bill would bar both local and federal officers — including immigration enforcement agents — from using ski masks, neck gaiters, and other face coverings during official duties. Exceptions would be made for undercover work, medical masks like N95 respirators, or tactical gear.
Governor Newsom has about a month to decide. While he has previously criticized masked arrests by federal agents, he has also expressed doubts about California’s ability to regulate federal law enforcement.
Federal immigration raids in Southern California, which began in June under former President Donald Trump’s deportation policy, have sparked protests and the deployment of federal forces, including the National Guard and Marines.
Supporters of the bill say it is urgently needed following a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing federal agents to resume wide-scale immigration raids in Los Angeles. The ruling permits agents to detain individuals based on factors like race, language, or presence in certain areas — criteria critics say amount to racial profiling.
Assemblymember Juan Carrillo, a Democrat, argued the decision effectively allows federal agents to target people based solely on race or language. “How is anyone supposed to reasonably believe they are law enforcement officers and not masked individuals trying to kidnap you?” Carrillo said.
Supporters also pointed to an opinion by constitutional law scholar Erwin Chemerinsky, who argued that while states can’t directly regulate the federal government, state laws can apply unless they severely interfere with federal duties. Chemerinsky noted that ICE agents haven’t historically worn masks and that doing so isn’t essential to their operations.
Opponents of the bill, including Republican lawmakers and some law enforcement groups, say the ban could put officers at greater risk. “Bad guys wear masks because they don’t want to get caught. Good guys wear masks because they don’t want to get killed,” said GOP state Senator Kelly Seyarto.
The Trump administration previously defended agents wearing masks, citing a rise in harassment and threats against immigration officers. But critics, including multiple state attorneys general, argue that masked officers create fear and distrust among the public — and that the practice should be stopped.
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