The Department of Homeland Security announced on Monday that it will not comply with a new California law which bans most law enforcement officers, including federal immigration agents, from wearing face coverings while conducting official business.
“To be clear: We will NOT comply with Gavin Newsom’s unconstitutional mask ban. At a time that ICE law enforcement faces a 1,000% increase in assaults and their family members are being doxxed and targeted, the sitting Governor of California signed unconstitutional legislation that strips law enforcement of protections in a disgusting, diabolical fundraising and PR stunt,” the government agency said in a post on X.
The new law is a direct response to federal agents wearing masks while making arrests during immigration enforcement operations, including those across Southern California and Los Angeles that prompted protests this summer.
In response to the protests, President Donald Trump later deployed approximately 4,000 National Guard troops to the city without the consent of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Later, 700 active-duty Marines were sent to the region. A small number of troops remain stationed in the city.
Trump has defended the deployment, saying he “saved” Los Angeles after the Supreme Court cleared the way for federal agents to continue conducting sweeping immigration raids in Los Angeles by lifting a restraining order from a judge who found “roving patrols” were leading to indiscriminate arrests.
When it comes to the new law, Bill Essayli, acting U.S. attorney for Southern California, posted on X that the state does not have jurisdiction over the federal government.
The new law makes exceptions for undercover agents, medical masks such as N95 respirators or tactical gear, and does not apply to state police.
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