California Governor Gavin Newsom has raised questions about the state’s legal authority over federal agents.
California lawmakers approved a bill on Thursday to bar law enforcement officers from wearing masks, said Democratic state Senator Scott Wiener, who wrote the bill.
Newsweek has contacted California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office for comment by email outside regular business hours.Why It Matters
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been thrust into the national spotlight, drawing heightened scrutiny amid the Trump administration’s aggressive push to deport millions of undocumented migrants. The agency has faced increased criticism for deploying agents in plain clothes and face coverings during its operations, a tactic officials say is necessary to protect agents and their families from threats.
A growing coalition of Democratic-led states is pushing legislation that would prohibit federal agents from wearing face coverings during immigration enforcement operations. As well as California, New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania have introduced bills that would require federal officers to display visible identification—with limited exceptions for safety or undercover purposes—as part of an effort to increase transparency and limit the agency’s expanded powers under the Trump administration.
