ICE agent ban on wearing masks advances

ICE

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Billal Rahman

By Billal Rahman

Immigration Reporter

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A California bill banning law enforcement agents from wearing masks while on duty has advanced after it was approved by a legislative committee on Tuesday.

The "No Secret Police Act," introduced by state Senator Scott Wiener, would prohibit law enforcement at all levels from concealing their identities.

Why It Matters

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has faced increasing criticism in recent months for permitting its agents to conduct immigration enforcement operations while wearing plain clothes and face coverings. Officials maintain that masks are necessary to protect agents' identities and shield their families from death threats.

What To Know

On Tuesday, the bill was introduced to the legislative committee for the first time and secured the five votes required to advance from the Assembly Public Safety Committee to the Appropriations Committee.

"We're here today because we have a dictator in the White House," said Democratic Assemblymember Nick Schultz, the chair of the committee. "Secret police have no place in the state of California."

Law enforcement agencies must inform neighboring agencies ahead of any operations that involve wearing masks. In addition, local and state departments are given until July 1, 2026, to implement policies that prohibit masks or disguises.

Under Senate Bill 627, federal agents who conceal their faces while performing official duties could be charged with a misdemeanor.

The bill, which was introduced in June, would include exemptions for SWAT teams and officers wearing medical masks during natural disasters such as wildfires. Transparent riot gear would also be permitted as it does not conceal an officer's face.

The legislation follows criticism that ICE agents have been hiding their faces while conducting raids under the Trump administration's crackdown.

ICE agents are not required to wear body cameras, and they are permitted to use unmarked vehicles and to cover their faces.

Members of Congress have also been making efforts to prohibit immigration enforcers from conducting operations while masked.

Democratic lawmakers have proposed a bill that would force federal immigration agents to wear visible identification during public enforcement operations.

Senators Alex Padilla of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey have introduced the VISIBLE Act, which requires agents from ICE and Customs and Border Protection to wear legible ID, including the agency name or acronym. The agents would also be banned from wearing most face coverings under the proposed federal law.

House Democrats introduced the No Anonymity in Immigration Enforcement Act, which would also prohibit federal agents from wearing face masks or coverings and require them to display clear identification during immigration enforcement operations, with limited exceptions for public safety threats.

What People Are Saying

Democratic state Senator Scott Wiener said in a statement: "The recent federal operations in California have created an environment of profound terror. If we want the public to trust law enforcement, we cannot allow them to behave like secret police in an authoritarian state."

GOP state Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones previously told Newsweek: "At a time when federal agents are literally under attack in our state, California's leaders should be rallying behind law enforcement, not seeking to score political brownie-points by putting them and their families at risk with legislation to publicly expose their identities."

Why It Matters

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