LAPD Chief Defies Gavin Newsom, Refuses to Enforce Face Covering Ban on ICE Agents (VIDEO)
LAPD Chief Jim McConnell during a press conference on Friday.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has announced it will not enforce a California law that bars federal immigration agents from wearing masks during enforcement operations.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell explained the decision during an appearance on Good Day LA, citing concerns for officer safety and the potential to escalate tense situations.
“From a practical standpoint, our role when we get to a scene is to de-escalate the situation, not to ramp it up,” McDonnell said. “Trying to enforce a misdemeanor violation on another law enforcement agency is not going to end well, and it’s not going to be good for public safety.”
He added that confrontations could arise if crowds are agitated while federal agents, such as those from ICE, are carrying out their duties. “For us to step in and create an enforcement action over mask-wearing is not a safe way to handle these situations,” McDonnell said.
“The reality of one armed agency approaching another armed agency to create conflict over something that would be a misdemeanor at best or an infraction. It doesn’t make any sense” – LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, on not enforcing Gavin Newsom‘s dangerous anti-mask law for federal… pic.twitter.com/5pjzAGvBSW
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) January 31, 2026
At a press conference on Friday, McDonnell said enforcing the law “doesn’t make any sense,” noting the risks of one armed agency confronting another over what would likely be a minor offense.
The law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2025, makes it a misdemeanor for local, state, or federal law enforcement officers to wear masks or disguises while on duty, except for undercover operations or tactical protective gear.
When the law was passed, Newsom criticized federal enforcement practices. “We have the right to stand up and push back,” he said. “This is a disgrace, this is an outrage, what we have allowed to happen in this country.”
The legislation followed a series of immigration raids in Los Angeles during which federal agents were seen wearing face coverings. The Trump administration has said the masks are used to protect agents’ families from harassment, doxxing, and threats from activists, even though they acknowledge the coverings are not ideal.
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