DOJ says California ICE mask ban not yet in force
A senior Justice Department Civil Rights Division official publicly corrected California state Sen. Scott Wiener after he claimed on social media that his 'No Secret Police Act' mask ban for ICE and other law enforcement took effect Jan. 1, noting that Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration has told a federal court it will not enforce the law against ICE while a Trump administration supremacy‑clause lawsuit proceeds. The article details that California agreed in December to pause enforcement pending arguments on a preliminary injunction request, with a hearing set for Jan. 12, even as state attorneys defend the law as a valid exercise of police powers aimed at preventing 'armed, masked individuals' from terrorizing residents during immigration arrests.
📌 Key Facts
- DOJ Civil Rights Division deputy Jesus Osete responded on X to Sen. Scott Wiener, saying California had told a federal judge it would not enforce the ICE mask ban yet.
- The Trump administration sued California in November, arguing Wiener’s No Secret Police Act and another bill violate the Constitution’s supremacy clause.
- California officials agreed in December not to enforce the mask ban against ICE while the court considers a preliminary injunction motion, with a hearing scheduled for Jan. 12.
📊 Relevant Data
ICE agents wear masks during operations to protect themselves from being targeted by highly sophisticated gangs like Tren de Aragua and to prevent doxing.
Why are ICE agents wearing masks? Here's what to know — Miami Herald
In 2023, 27% of California's population was foreign-born, the highest share of any state, with more than half (53%) of these immigrants born in Latin America and 35% in Asia.
Immigrants in California — Public Policy Institute of California
The FBI has warned about people impersonating ICE agents to commit violent crimes, citing incidents of robberies, kidnappings, and assaults by masked criminals posing as immigration officers.
FBI warns of people impersonating ICE agents to commit violent crimes — ABC7
ICE arrests in California increased from 412 in June 2024 to 2,527 in June 2025, reflecting a more than fivefold rise.
Immigration arrests in California soar under second Trump term — The Sacramento Bee
Arrests by ICE were heavily concentrated among individuals from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Venezuela, with Venezuela experiencing the most dramatic increase in 2025.
UCLA Report Finds Latino Arrests by ICE Have Skyrocketed Under the Trump Administration’s Second Term — UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs