The Los Angeles Police Department will not enforce California’s statewide ban on face coverings as applied to federal law enforcement officers, including agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, citing concerns that doing so would endanger officers and escalate already volatile situations.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said requiring city officers to issue misdemeanor citations to armed federal agents for wearing masks during operations would undermine de-escalation efforts and introduce unnecessary tactical risk. “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 in a recent interview. He added that intervening against another law enforcement agency under such circumstances “is not going to end well,” particularly amid agitated crowds or active enforcement actions, writes Fox News.
He many be the last leader in California with some common sense.
The dispute stems from legislation signed by Gavin Newsom in September 2025, known as the No Secret Police Act. The law broadly prohibits local, state, and federal officers from wearing masks or other face coverings while performing official duties, with limited exceptions for undercover work, health protection, or specific tactical needs. Violations are classified as misdemeanors. At the bill-signing, Newsom framed the measure as a response to public concern over masked federal agents during immigration operations, questioning what they might be “afraid of.”
Although the ban took effect in early 2026, it has been met with immediate legal resistance. The Trump administration filed suit shortly after the law’s passage, arguing that it unconstitutionally interferes with federal operations and exposes agents to doxxing, threats, and violence against themselves and their families. ICE officials have said masks are used for protection amid rising threats, while maintaining that agents identify themselves through official clothing and markings.
Immigration enforcement activity in the Los Angeles area has intensified scrutiny. Local leaders, including Mayor Karen Bass, have previously raised alarms over reports of masked agents in unmarked vehicles conducting raids, citing fear and confusion within affected communities.
McDonnell’s stance reflects broader unease among law enforcement leaders who view the statute as impractical and likely to create inter-agency conflict without improving public safety. Court challenges are ongoing, and reports indicate that elements of enforcement remain paused pending judicial review.
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Gavin Nuisance should be subject to “citizen arrest” and perp-walked out of the capitol. Every county sheriff, as the highest ranking law enforcement official in every county, has the authority to arrest even the governor if they believe the governor is putting federal law enforcement agents lives in danger.