This story was originally published by CalMatters.
A series of immigration raids across California in 2025 had one thing in common: Most of the federal agents detaining people wore masks over their faces.
This month, the state of California and its largest county will ban law enforcement officers from covering their faces, with a few exceptions, putting local and state police at odds with masked immigration agents.
The state law gives law enforcement officers a choice: If they cover their faces, they lose the ability to assert “qualified immunity,” the doctrine that protects officers from individual liability for their actions. That means they can be sued for assault, battery, false imprisonment, false arrest or malicious prosecution, and the law adds a clause that says the minimum penalty for committing those offenses while wearing a mask is $10,000.
Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, a Los Angeles Democrat who co-authored the law, said it was necessary to rein in anonymous federal agents.
“We initially were under the understanding that, oh, they’re only targeting folks who were not citizens,” Gonzalez said, “And then actually over time you learn they don’t give a [crap] who you are, they’re attacking you no matter what, with no due process.”
The Trump administration has sued to block the bill, and more than a century of federal court precedent is on its side. An 1890 Supreme Court case provides that a state cannot prosecute a federal law enforcement officer acting in the course of their duties.
The Trump administration said in its brief to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California that forcing agents to reveal their identities would put the agents at risk.
During Immigration and Customs Enforcement “actions, individuals can be heard threatening to doxx and find out who officers and their family members are and where they live,” the administration’s lawyers said in the Nov. 17 brief. “There are even public websites that seek and publish personal information about ICE and other federal officers to harass and threaten them and their families.”
Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, said the issue may not be as cut-and-dried as one or two Supreme Court cases. He pointed to a 2001 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision that allowed the case of a federal sniper who killed a woman during the 1992 Ruby Ridge, Idaho, standoff to go to trial.
“It basically says that a federal officer can be criminally prosecuted for unreasonable actions,” Chemerinsky said. “Federal officers, by virtue of being federal officers, do not get immunity from all state civil and criminal laws.”
Brian Marvel, president of an organization that represents California police unions, said the law will make life harder for local cops and county sheriffs’ deputies. The organizations that represent police chiefs, sheriffs, agents in the attorney general’s office and California Highway Patrol officers opposed the law, too.
“I think that the state has put us in a tenuous position with this battle they’re having with the Trump administration,” said Marvel of the Peace Officers Research Association of California. “We don’t want to be in the middle of this fight. But unfortunately, [with] the desire for higher name recognition and elections in 2026, they decided to create things that are much more political and not geared toward legitimate public safety issues.”
Marvel said another drawback of the law is giving “a false sense of hope to the immigrant community in California” that the law will force federal agents to leave the state.
Los Angeles County supervisors have also approved a local mask ban on law enforcement for unincorporated areas of the county, a measure that will go into effect in mid-January, unless a court decision comes sooner.
Gonzalez noted that masks have played a significant role in recent California history. First, California temporarily made masks mandatory in public and at work during the pandemic. Then, a couple of years later, a rush of smash-and-grab robberies were harder to solve because the suspects all wore masks. Now, California finds itself in its third back-and-forth over face coverings.
The law provides exemptions for N-95 or medical-grade masks to prevent infection transmission, and permits undercover operatives to wear a mask.
“This is specifically aimed to federal agents because we gotta combat these kidnappings somehow,” Gonzalez said, “and this was our way in.”
–Nigel Duara, CalMatters
Al says
All that needs to be said is California and you know it will be some hairbrain bs.
Allyn Susan Feinsetin says
Banning masks for ICE agents, when those agents and their families are being doxxed and threatened with violence, while local political game-playing authorities allow “protesters” to wreak largely uncontrolled chaos and violence to wear masks to their hearts’ content doesn’t even make common sense.
joe says
Would you care to show some evidence that “those agents and their families are being doxxed and threatened with violence, while local political game-playing authorities allow “protesters” to wreak largely uncontrolled chaos and violence”???
I’m sure there are some isolated incidents, but to paint such a wide brush based on nothing more than the MAGA bullshit is pretty ignorant.
Allyn Susan Feinsetin says
You can easily Google information on the subject yourself. But here’s one article/source to get you started: “Anarchists and Rioters in Portland illegally dox ICE agentsand federal Law Enforcement” (7-11-2025).
There are plenty of others.
Bo Peep says
California cannot ban masks for federal personnel. They are full of liberal gibberish. Much of that population is still wearing COVID masks anyway…while driving alone.
Skibum says
Liar, liar, pants on fire!!!
Greg says
California, the land of fruits and nuts, and I’m talking about people here
Skibum says
… obviously bigoted mush brains as well, and I’m talking about the one commenting here.
I was born and raised in SoCal, and lived most of my life there until a disabled spouse and family responsibilities dictated a move to FL for my retirement years. You think the grass is always greener on the other side, so it is easy to complain about and disparage where you currently are. Well, have you lived anywhere else? Do you know that all states have their own problems? The maga extremists who “govern” some of the red states have HUGE issues as well. I can certainly attest to that, with my mom and other family members now living in Texas, and me here in the very backwards and idiotic calamity that is FL.
You think CA has too much crime? Well, come to Orlando where DisneyWorld is, or Miami, and you will be shocked at what is on the news every single day!
You think drivers are out of their minds in CA? Try driving on I-95 here in FL where road raging and speeding idiots must think they are IN the Daytona 500!!!
And don’t count on our state’s highway patrol to be out there catching the dangerous morons who are endangering other normal drivers on the state’s highways because our maga idiot “leaders” in the state capital in Tallahassee don’t give a shit that this state has the least amount of highway patrol officers of ALL 50 states!
This state’s courts are often releasing violent criminals back onto the streets on bail pending trial, where they victimize more innocent people!
The gerrymandered legislature and the mini-maga govie prioritize banning books and declaring it is unlawful for state workers and agencies to say the words “gay” or “climate change”… and schools have been given explicit permission to target students that maga extremists don’t agree with!
When I first saw my new personal physician here in FL shortly after moving here from out west, the first question he asked of me was: “How does it feel to go back in time 30 years?”
So quit badmouthing CA like it is the worst place on earth! You want to be somewhere else.. then GO! But beware, because, as I said, the grass you think is greener on the other side has a whole lot of rot too, and you are destined to be disappointed and upset about things no matter where you land!
Al says
[Disallowed. Please comply with our comment policy. Thank you.–FL]
Ronbo says
Way to go Cali, cut off your nose to spite your safety! In the words of the Animal House movie … “It’s time for a really futile and stupid gesture”
Laurel says
Today’s KKK. The Ted Bundys of the country must love this mask and no identification stuff. If any man, or men, come at me with masks and no ID, I will scream bloody murder! These people are not “Peace Officers.” In fact, I no longer know who is who, and no longer trust officers, but I guess that’s what they want.
This slight of mind Homeland Security is actively recruiting inexperienced, untrained anybodies, with no age limits, to wear tee shirts and masks, to whisk people off the streets into unmarked vehicles. Here, in America! Hell, even the Nazis had uniforms (brown shirts).
The whole thing about protecting officers’ identity is a joke. Trump calls people “dead man walking” and calls for the execution of Senators who speak the truth about law in the military. He said it was fine if our Vice President Mike Pence was hanged. Senator Mark Kelly, his wife, and many other people are getting death threats daily because of this asshole. Yeah, I don’t believe your protection crap for an instant.
Great job, Trump, you have succeeded in stirring up such hatred in the U.S., that it is a daily, even deadly, disease. You have no interest in bringing our people together. You have no interest in lifting people up. You have no interest in feeding the poor and the hungry, yet you stand in front of a church holding a bible, while asking if the military can shoot people in the legs to get them out of your way for the photo shoot. Yeah, it’s all about you, isn’t it?
Trump is not your retribution,
you are his.
A Concerned Observer says
I don’t see a “Don’t Like” button on this comment, but there should be one…
Skibum says
I don’t see a “F*** Y**” button either for idiotic comments from maga extremist mush brains who worship a pedophile protecting, convicted felon, wanna-be dictator like he is some kind of saint… but there should be one!
Laurel says
It’s better for you to explain what you “don’t like,” and if you do, do it with real facts. Because, I don’t like the calls for violence:
“Former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson testified Tuesday that on Jan. 6, she heard her boss, Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, tell the White House’s top lawyer that President Donald Trump thought Vice President Mike Pence deserved the “Hang Mike Pence!” chants coming from Trump supporters during the Capitol riot.”
– Vice
“https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/11/07/trump-threatened-to-prosecute-adversaries-citizens-what-to-know/76109262007/”
– USA Today
“Senator Mark Kelly has faced death threats and hired personal security after President Trump criticized him for urging military members to disobey illegal orders. Kelly remains defiant, stating that he will not be intimidated by Trump’s rhetoric.”
– Search Assist, the-independent.com, Axios
“Donald Trump referred to Stephen Colbert as a “dead man walking” and urged CBS to “put him to sleep,” criticizing Colbert’s talent and ratings in a post on Truth Social. He described Colbert as a “pathetic trainwreck” and suggested that the network should end his show immediately.”
– Search Assist, People, abc3340.com
Now, A Concerned Observer, what is it you do like about this kind of crap? There’s so much more, so go ahead and pick and choose, but provide backup that can be scrutinized.
Sherry says
Excellent comments Skibum and Laurel! Thank You Both!
Sherry says
For the Maga ignorant, insecure, bigoted, indoctrinated cult members, and the AI “Trollbots” commenting here, you know absolutely “nothing” about wonderful California!
We thank our lucky stars everyday that we moved from the angry, negative society of Flagler Beach to the “sanity” of gorgeous Sausalito! Our community is filled with highly educated, accomplished, open minded folks who have welcomed us with great kindness and open arms. Even the drivers here are much more courteous and considerate.
Since you apparently are so insecure that the only way to make yourself feel better is by “judging putting down others”, you will have “ZERO” credibility without posting “factual evidence” for your ridiculous and absurd claims! Posting Fox “hate filled”BS talking points only serves to much you look like complete fools!
Skibum says
Happy New Year, Sherry! I do envy you out there in beautiful Sausalito, CA!
Land of no turn signals says says
A c0uple of years ago California was trying to arrest citizens for not wearing masks now get arrested for wearing one good old liberals they are good for a laugh.
Laurel says
And there it is! “Good ole liberals they are good for a laugh.” Giggling Land cannot distinguish between trying to deal with a growing, unknown, killing pandemic, and unmarked men in masks grabbing people off the streets and throwing them in unmarked cars.
Well, they are both diseases…
Sherry says
@ Laurel. . . Loving the “both diseases” remark! Very well stated!
Sherry says
For those who are so indoctrinated that they do not know the difference between a pandemic requiring “Defensive masking” highly recommended by doctors, and “Offensive Masking” required by fascistic THUGS. . . please find your brains. They are likely in the gutter.
feddy says
Why no stories on the fraud taking place in Minnesota?