RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The Trump administration has filed a federal lawsuit against California, escalating a months-long dispute over newly enacted state laws that restrict how federal immigration officers conduct operations. The suit, lodged in the Central District of California, challenges the No Secret Police Act and No Vigilantes Act—two measures signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September that take effect on January 1. Together, the laws bar federal immigration authorities from wearing face masks during enforcement actions and require plainclothes officers to visibly display identification.
California leaders framed the policies as tools for transparency and public accountability, with Newsom stating that officers should not be “hidden from accountability” while conducting operations in the state. The lawsuit argues the opposite, asserting that California lacks authority to regulate federal personnel and alleging the restrictions endanger officers and compromise federal operations. It cites the Supremacy Clause and a provision of the U.S. Code granting agency heads control over their employees.
In a statement, Attorney General Pam Bondi said the laws “discriminate against the federal government and are designed to create risk for our agents.” A spokesperson for Newsom responded that the state “will see the DOJ in court.”
Federal officials have already instructed immigration personnel to ignore the new rules, pointing to increased threats against agents. California, home to an estimated 2.25 million undocumented migrants, has seen renewed enforcement activity since Trump returned to office, including raids that previously prompted protests and a court ruling limiting federal deployment of state National Guard forces.
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