The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Monday that it would not comply with California’s recent legislation prohibiting its agents from wearing masks during enforcement actions.
“To clarify: We will NOT adhere to [California Governor] Gavin Newsom’s unconstitutional mask ban,” DHS declared on Monday via a social media post.
DHS argued that masks are essential for the safety of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, highlighting a substantial increase in attacks against them lately.
“With ICE law enforcement experiencing a 1,000% rise in assaults and threats to their families, the current California Governor enacted unconstitutional laws undermining law enforcement protection in a shocking, manipulative fundraising and PR maneuver,” DHS stated.
Governor Newsom, who might run for President in 2028, signed an unprecedented bill on Saturday that prohibits ICE agents from wearing masks during their duties within the state.
He said ICE agents would no longer be “hidden from accountability,” arguing masks prevent “transparency” for citizens and hinder “oversight.”
“That may be Trump’s America, but it’s not the America we’ve grown up with. Therefore, we are resisting,” Newsom stated during a speech at a local high school.
The Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration has hit California especially hard, where 27 percent of the residents are born outside the country. DHS has said 5,000 immigrants living in the U.S. illegally were arrested in Los Angeles from June to August.
Newsom’s office did not respond to an immediate request for comment.
