The Trump administration filed a lawsuit Monday challenging California’s new laws that ban federal agents from wearing masks and require them to display identification while conducting operations in the state.
According to The Associated Press, the federal government argues the measures put officers at risk amid what it called “unprecedented” harassment, doxing, and threats of violence.
“California’s anti-law enforcement policies discriminate against the federal government and are designed to create risk for our agents. These laws cannot stand,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a press release.
California’s new rules, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September, make it illegal for most law enforcement officers, including federal immigration agents, to cover their faces during official duties.
The law prohibits ski masks, neck gaiters, and other facial coverings, though exceptions exist for undercover work, tactical gear, and protective equipment such as N95 respirators. State police are not affected.
Another law requires officers to wear visible identification, including their agency and badge number, while on duty. Federal agencies must implement a mask policy by July 1, 2026, and a visible identification policy by Jan. 1, 2026.
The Trump administration’s lawsuit cites cases where Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were followed and threatened.
One incident involved three women in Los Angeles allegedly livestreaming an ICE agent’s home and posting the address online. The lawsuit emphasized that allowing officers to wear masks helps protect their identities and provides an additional layer of security.
Newsom has described masked federal agents arresting people across California as “dystopian.” Critics say the laws address concerns about the growing role of federal agents in local policing and the use of unidentified officers in immigration enforcement.
“If the Trump administration cared half as much about public safety as it does about pardoning cop-beaters, violating people’s rights, and detaining U.S. citizens and their kids, our communities would be much safer,” a spokesperson for Newsom said.
The federal government also argued that the laws violate the Supremacy Clause, which prevents states from regulating federal operations, and pointed out that the mask ban exempts state police.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office is reviewing the complaint, stating that unclear identification of officers can endanger public safety and erode trust.
