California Law on ICE Officer Identification Blocked
A California law that mandated federal immigration enforcement officers to remove masks and display visible identification while on duty has been halted by an appeals court. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals determined that this requirement, part of California’s anti-vigilante law, infringed on the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.
This law, which was endorsed by both chambers of the California Legislature and signed by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, is set to take effect in September 2025. The court’s opinion noted, “We conclude that Section 10 of the Vigilante Act seeks to directly regulate the United States in the performance of its governmental functions,” emphasizing that the Supremacy Clause prevents states from enforcing such regulations.
Newsom’s office did not respond immediately to requests for comments regarding the ruling. Under California’s Section 10 of the Anti-Vigilante Act, federal employees must show identification that indicates their agency and provides their name or badge number. However, this requirement does not extend to undercover agents or state employees, and noncompliance is categorized as a misdemeanor.
The ruling continued by asserting that Section 10 attempts to control federal law enforcement operations, stating that it explicitly applies to federal workers. In a statement on social media, U.S. Attorney Bill Esseri described the court’s decision as a major victory, signaling the law as unconstitutional.
California has been a focal point for legislative efforts to restrict ICE activities within the state, as well as for protests that took place in Los Angeles last summer. Last October, the Department of Justice charged ten individuals with committing violence against law enforcement during a tumultuous anti-ICE demonstration at a marijuana farm.
Additionally, federal Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey and Senator Alex Padilla from California, have advocated for a nationwide ban on mask mandates for federal employees by July 2025. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security remains inactive as Senate Democrats pursue reforms related to ICE that may include eliminating the use of body cameras and face masks.
