The U.S. Department of Justice filed suit on Monday to challenge California's law banning federal and local officers from wearing masks while on duty. The DOJ says it will not comply, arguing the statute violates the Constitution's intergovernmental immunity doctrine and could expose federal officers to criminal liability. The measure, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September, was enacted amid heightened immigration enforcement and National Guard deployments in Los Angeles.
DOJ Sues California to Block Law Barring Federal Officers from Wearing Masks
The U.S. Department of Justice filed suit on Monday to challenge California's law banning federal and local officers from wearing masks while on duty. The DOJ says it will not comply, arguing the statute violates the Constitution's intergovernmental immunity doctrine and could expose federal officers to criminal liability. The measure, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September, was enacted amid heightened immigration enforcement and National Guard deployments in Los Angeles.
06:15 AM, 11/18/2025Politics
DOJ Files Suit Challenging California Mask Ban for Federal Officers
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday filed a lawsuit challenging California's law that prohibits both federal and local law enforcement officers from wearing masks while on duty. The department said it does not plan to comply with the state measure, arguing it conflicts with the U.S. Constitution's intergovernmental immunity doctrine and would create new legal liabilities for federal personnel.
The legislation, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September, bars masking by officers amid heightened immigration enforcement activity in the state. The Justice Department's complaint warns that the law could subject federal officers to criminal liability by state officials who have indicated an intent to target federal operations.
"Law enforcement officers thus face a real threat of criminal liability from state officials who have made clear their intent to target federal officers and disrupt federal law enforcement activities, including federal immigration enforcement," the department said in the lawsuit.
Spokespeople for Governor Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
California's statute — described by officials as the first of its kind in the United States — was enacted amid President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles during protests over immigration enforcement operations. The lawsuit highlights another legal clash between the federal government and California over the limits of state authority versus federal immunity.