California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s move to ban Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from wearing masks while on duty sparked fierce backlash from the Department of Homeland Security and allies of President Donald Trump.
The governor tucked the measure into a slate of new laws designed to obstruct federal immigration enforcement in California, a state already known for clashing with Washington over illegal immigration.
July demonstrations in Los Angeles forced Trump to dispatch the National Guard against Newsom’s objections, a deployment still locked in federal court battles.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently allowed ICE to continue operations at sites like farms and car washes where agents suspect immigration violations.
But the court did not address whether officers could wear face coverings, a practice that has become common, often with masks or gaiters concealing their identities.
Newsom seized on that gap, when he signed the bill into law on Saturday.
“Unmarked cars, people in masks, people quite literally disappearing, no due process, no rights,” he said during an event.
“I’ll be signing a bill, the first in the nation, saying, ‘Enough, ICE, unmask, what are you afraid of?’”
On Monday, DHS responded with a flat rejection. Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin issued a blistering statement, saying, “To be clear: We will NOT comply with Gavin Newsom’s unconstitutional mask ban.”
To be clear: We will NOT comply with Gavin Newsom’s unconstitutional mask ban.
At a time that ICE law enforcement faces a 1,000% increase in assaults and their family members are being doxxed and targeted, the sitting Governor of California signed unconstitutional legislation… pic.twitter.com/8Me4OOP8t8
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 22, 2025
She warned that agents face growing dangers. “At a time that ICE law enforcement faces a 1,000% increase in assaults and their family members are being doxxed and targeted, the sitting Governor of California signed unconstitutional legislation that strips law enforcement of protections in a disgusting, diabolical fundraising and PR stunt,” McLaughlin said.
The Justice Department’s acting U.S. Attorney for California’s Central District, Bill Essayli, also dismissed the new law as illegitimate.
He declared online, “The State of California has no jurisdiction over the federal government.”
Essayli took a direct swipe at the Golden State Democrat. “If Newsom wants to regulate our agents, he must go through Congress. I’ve directed our federal agencies that the law signed today has no effect on our operations,” he said.
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“Our agents will continue to protect their identities,” he noted. “When can we expect CA to pass a law banning Antifa members from wearing masks while committing state and federal crimes? I’ll wait …”
Essayli told “Fox & Friends” that Newsom’s law would never stand up in court. He predicted a lawsuit was inevitable.
“I think what the governor might do is he might file a lawsuit. He might run to a judge to try to get some sort of order, but we’re very confident. The State of California does not and cannot have jurisdiction,” he said.
Acting U.S Attorney in California Bill Essayli just went on Fox News and absolutely EMBARRASSED Gavin Newsom after he signed an executive order and had a whole press conference over the weekend "banning" ICE officers from wearing masks and demanding they ID themselves.
"The… pic.twitter.com/wOBU6FRk4p
— DeVory Darkins (@devorydarkins) September 22, 2025
The federal prosecutor accused the governor of deliberately inflaming tensions.
“You have this narrative that people are out there being kidnapped. It’s not true,” Essayli argued.
“They’re federal agents. They’re acting under federal law, and if he doesn’t like it he should change the law.”
Newsom signed the mask ban along with four other immigration-related bills the same day.
Those measures shield immigrants’ medical records, force officers to identify themselves, and require schools to alert families if federal raids are taking place nearby.
The new law specifically targets masks meant to conceal ICE identities, not medical masks or protective gear like helmets.
“What are you afraid of?” Newsom demanded of ICE officers. “You’re going to go out and you’re going to do enforcement — provide an ID.”
“Tell us which agency you represent. Provide us basic information that all local law enforcement is required to provide.”
The governor claimed the face coverings allowed agents to avoid accountability.
“That’s Trump’s America, but that’s not the America we’ve grown up in. And so we are pushing back,” he declared before a crowd at a local high school.
Critics contend the masks are intimidation tactics. Videos have shown masked agents conducting raids under Trump’s immigration crackdown in major cities.
In California, particularly Los Angeles, workplace raids have fueled protests, with federal agents clashing with demonstrators.
Trump’s border czar Tom Homan previously defended ICE agents’ need for face coverings.
“I don’t particularly like masks, but the ICE officers need the mask because their families are being doxed,” Homan said at the White House.
“Their families are being doxed, their children are being doxed, their families have been put in harm’s way.”
Bravo DHS Hooray needed
Is he aware he has ZERO authority over Federal law enforcement?