Newsom loses again.
A major legal victory for President Trump and federal immigration enforcement was handed down Monday, as a federal judge blocked California from enforcing a law that would have forced Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to remove face coverings during enforcement operations.
The ruling stops California’s so-called “No Secret Police Act,” a measure backed by Governor Gavin Newsom that targeted federal immigration officers while exempting state and local law enforcement.
U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder, an appointee from the Clinton era, issued a preliminary injunction after concluding the law likely violates the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which prevents states from interfering with federal authority.
The Supremacy Clause establishes that federal law outweighs state and local rules, meaning states cannot enforce laws that hinder federal operations.
In her decision, Judge Snyder made clear that the problem was unequal treatment. California’s law allowed state officers to operate under one set of rules while imposing stricter requirements on federal agents.
Snyder wrote that federal officers are capable of carrying out their duties without face coverings, but noted the law is unconstitutional because it treats federal agents differently than state and local law enforcement.
The ruling represents a significant setback for California officials who argued the law was necessary for transparency and public safety.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi praised the decision, warning that forcing agents to reveal their identities would have placed them at even greater risk.
Bondi hailed the decision as another major courtroom win for the administration, crediting Justice Department lawyers after a California judge stopped a law that would have prohibited federal agents from wearing masks to safeguard their identities.
Bondi noted that federal officers are increasingly targeted, harassed, and doxxed simply for enforcing immigration law.
“These agents are attacked and obstructed on a regular basis for doing their jobs,” she said. “We have no tolerance for it.”
While the judge blocked the mask ban, the court allowed a separate law—the “No Vigilantes Act”—to remain in effect. That statute requires officers to display their agency affiliation and a personal identifier, such as a badge number, on their uniforms.
Governor Gavin Newsom attempted to frame the mixed ruling as a win, pointing to the portion of the law that survived.
Newsom said a federal judge upheld California’s requirement that federal agents identify themselves, arguing that accountability is impossible without visible badges and names.
Newsom signed both measures into law last September following increased federal immigration enforcement in the state. California officials argued the laws were routine safety regulations, comparing them to traffic laws and other state rules.
Court filings claimed the measures only “incidentally” affected federal operations and did not directly interfere with enforcement.
Despite those claims, California paused enforcement of the laws—originally set to take effect January 1, 2026—while the court reviewed the federal government’s request for an injunction.
Bondi made clear the Trump administration will continue to aggressively defend federal law enforcement officers and pursue its law-and-order agenda.
“We will continue fighting and winning in court,” Bondi said. “We will always stand behind our federal law enforcement officers.”
