SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A federal appeals court has struck down a California law that barred immigration officers from wearing masks, ruling the state cannot regulate federal law enforcement operations.
A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found the law violated the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, concluding that California overstepped its authority by attempting to directly control federal actions.
The ruling stated that any state law that “directly regulates the conduct of the United States” is invalid, regardless of how much it interferes with federal functions. Judges determined that California’s “No Vigilantes Act” specifically targeted law enforcement agencies, including federal officers, making it unconstitutional.
The legislation, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2025, prohibited most law enforcement officers from wearing masks, with limited exceptions for undercover work or health reasons. The Department of Justice challenged the law shortly after its passage, instructing federal immigration agents to ignore it while litigation proceeded.
A lower federal court had previously ruled against the law, and the appeals court decision reinforces that finding.
Federal officials praised the ruling as a win for federal authority, while California could still appeal the decision to the full Ninth Circuit or the Supreme Court.
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