LAPD Refuses to Enforce California Mask Ban for ICE Agents, Citing Public Safety Risks

The Los Angeles Police Department has announced it will not enforce California's new directive that prohibits federal immigration agents from wearing masks or otherwise concealing their faces while conducting operations in the state.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell told Fox Los Angeles' "Good Day LA" that ordering local officers to cite federal personnel for what the state classifies as a misdemeanor could create unsafe and escalatory situations on scene.

"From a practical standpoint, our role when we get to a scene is to de-escalate the situation, not to ramp it up," McDonnell said. "Trying to enforce a misdemeanor violation on another law enforcement agency, that's not going to end well. And that's not going to be good."

McDonnell added that attempting to enforce mask-related violations in volatile circumstances could inflame crowds and endanger bystanders and officers.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom looks on during a bill signing event related to redrawing the state’s congressional maps on Aug. 21, 2025 in Sacramento, California.

"From a public safety standpoint for anybody in that environment. Potentially you have a crowd that could be agitated and trying to get their point across," he said. "And then you have the ICE agents who are doing their job. And for us to come in then and try and create an enforcement action for wearing a mask, it's not a safe way to do business."

Governor Gavin Newsom signed the law in September 2025. The statute makes it a misdemeanor for local, state or federal law enforcement officers to wear face coverings or personal disguises while performing official duties, with narrow exceptions for undercover personnel or tactical operations that require protective equipment.

The federal government — through the Trump administration — has filed a lawsuit seeking to block the law. A spokesperson for Newsom's office told Fox News Digital that the state is defending the measure and that it is scheduled to take effect on July 1.

Supporters of the ban argue that visible masking by immigration officers can intimidate communities and hinder accountability. Critics of federal immigration enforcement counter that some ICE personnel have worn masks to protect themselves and their families from doxxing, threats and reprisals.

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer with other officials.

The law followed a series of immigration raids in and around Los Angeles during which federal agents were reportedly masked. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin has said that federal agents are required to identify themselves and wear clothing that designates them as ICE or Department of Homeland Security personnel during operations.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass criticized the tactics used in some raids, saying last year that masked agents in unmarked cars and heavy gear spread fear in communities and made some residents worry they were witnessing kidnappings.

This dispute raises complex questions about intergovernmental policing, officer safety and community trust. The LAPD's decision not to enforce the state law underscores the operational challenges local departments face when state directives intersect with federal activities and local public-safety priorities.