Trump administration sues California over law banning masked federal agents

The Trump administration filed a lawsuit Monday over Californias new laws banning federal agents from wearing masks and requiring them to have identification while conducting operations in the state The federal government has argued the laws threaten the safety of officers who are facing unprecedented harassment doxing and violence and said it will not comply with themCalifornia became the first state to ban most law enforcement officers including federal immigration agents from covering their faces while conducting official business under a bill that was signed in September by Governor Gavin NewsomThe law prohibits neck gaiters ski masks and other facial coverings for local and federal officers including immigration enforcement agents while they conduct official business It makes exceptions for undercover agents protective equipment like N95 respirators or tactical gear and it does not apply to state policeNewsom also signed legislation requiring law enforcement to wear clear identification showing their agency and badge number while on the job The laws require federal law enforcement agencies to issue a mask policy by July 1 2026 and a visible identification policy by January 1 2026Californias antilaw enforcement policies discriminate against the federal government and are designed to create risk for our agents These laws cannot stand US Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a press releaseThe lawsuit said there have been multiple incidents where Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were followed and their families threatened It cites a case of three women in Los Angeles who are being accused of livestreaming while following an ICE agent home and posting the address on InstagramGiven the personal threats and violence that agents face federal law enforcement agencies allow their officers to choose whether to wear masks to protect their identities and provide an extra layer of security the lawsuit saidNewsom has called the practice of masked federal agents arresting people across the state dystopian Critics have raised concerns about the increased role of federal agents in local policing and often unidentified agents conducting immigration enforcement activitiesIf the Trump administration cared half as much about public safety as it does about pardoning copbeaters violating peoples rights and detaining US citizens and their kids our communities would be much safer a spokesperson for Newsoms office said in a statementThe Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a memo in October to law enforcement agencies across the country advising officers to clearly identify themselves in the field It cited several incidents where masked criminals posed as immigration officers robbed and kidnapped victimsThe federal government also said in its lawsuit that the laws violate the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution which prohibits states from regulating the federal government It said the law banning federal officers from wearing masks discriminates against the federal government because it exempts state police California Attorney General Rob Bontas office said it was reviewing the complaintIts problematic when Californians cant tell the difference between a law enforcement officer who is charged with protecting them and a criminal who is attempting to cause them harm Bontas office said in a statement The FBI itself has warned that the practice of ICE agents obscuring their identity has led to a rise in copycats committing crimes threatening public safety and eroding trust in law enforcementThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever