Governor Kathy Hochul said New York will ban law enforcement from wearing masks during ordinary operations and restrict state cooperation with ICE as part of the 2027 budget agreement. The package would bar ICE from schools, healthcare facilities and private homes without a judicial warrant. Democratic leaders expect the bills to pass soon, but federal legal challenges are anticipated.
New York to Bar Masked Officers — Including ICE — As Part Of 2027 Budget Deal
FILE PHOTO: A Border Patrol agent stands guard as people gather outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, in Portland, Oregon, March 28, 2026. REUTERS/John Rudoff/File Photo
May 7 (Reuters) - New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Thursday that the state will prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing masks while on duty as part of a broader agreement on the state's 2027 budget. The package also contains sweeping changes to how state agencies interact with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), measures that patronize a likely legal challenge from the Trump administration.
What the Measure Would Do
Under the budget agreement, state law enforcement agencies would be barred from cooperating with ICE on federal immigration operations. The deal would also prevent ICE agents from entering sensitive locations — including schools, medical facilities and private homes — without a judicial warrant.
"We're also banning law enforcement officers from wearing masks, except in rare circumstances where there's a genuine operational need, like a gas mask," Hochul said. "No members of state, local or federal law enforcement wear masks during ordinary operations."
Expected Timeline And Legal Pushback
Blake G. Washington, New York's budget director, said he expects the legislature, which is Democratic-led, to pass the related bills as soon as next week. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees federal immigration operations, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Similar measures in other Democratic-led states, notably California and New Jersey, have already faced federal lawsuits. The U.S. Justice Department sued those states, and a federal judge struck down California's ban in February, finding it "unlawfully discriminates against federal officers." Legal challenges are expected in New York as well.
The proposed mask prohibition includes limited exceptions for genuine operational needs, such as gas masks or other protective gear required for officer safety during specific tasks.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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