Federal Judge Blocks California Law Mandating ICE Agents Remove Masks During Operations
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A federal judge in California has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of a state law that would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to remove masks during immigration enforcement operations. The ruling, handed down on February 9, 2026, by Judge Christina Snyder, a Clinton appointee, found that the California legislation known as the “No Secret Police Act” violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution by discriminating against federal officers and conflicting with federal authority.
California’s law aimed to increase transparency and accountability by mandating that ICE agents reveal their faces during operations within the state. However, Judge Snyder determined that the law unfairly exempts California state law enforcement officers from similar requirements, thereby singling out federal agents. “The Court finds that federal officers can perform their federal functions without wearing masks,” she wrote, emphasizing that federal law takes precedence over conflicting state laws.
The Supremacy Clause, enshrined in Article VI of the Constitution, establishes that federal law overrides state legislation when the two are in conflict. In this case, the judge ruled that California’s attempt to regulate federal immigration enforcement activities intrudes upon federal prerogatives.
The ruling comes amid ongoing tensions between California and federal immigration authorities. The state has frequently challenged federal immigration policies and sought to impose restrictions on federal enforcement actions within its borders. California’s efforts to require ICE agents to unmask during operations were part of broader measures intended to increase oversight and prevent abuses.
ICE, operating under the Department of Homeland Security, often employs masks to protect agents’ identities during sensitive operations, particularly those involving immigration arrests or raids. Advocates argue that anonymity is necessary to safeguard officers and their families from retaliation.
California’s law, however, was supported by civil rights groups and activists who contend that unmasking agents promotes accountability and deters misconduct. The state legislature passed the “No Secret Police Act” alongside the “No Vigilantes Act,” both designed to regulate law enforcement conduct and enhance transparency.
Judge Snyder’s ruling specifically noted that the state’s law discriminated against federal agents by imposing requirements that do not apply to California’s own officers, undermining the federal government’s ability to carry out its duties. The injunction temporarily halts California’s enforcement of the mask removal mandate while the case proceeds.
The decision has significant implications for the balance of authority between state and federal governments, particularly in the realm of immigration enforcement. It reinforces the principle that states cannot enact laws that interfere with federal officers performing their official functions.
For more information on federal law enforcement authority and constitutional provisions, see the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Archives’ Constitution transcript. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security provides guidelines on federal immigration enforcement policies.
This ruling marks the latest chapter in California’s ongoing legal battles with federal immigration agencies, highlighting the complex interplay of state sovereignty and federal supremacy in American governance.
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