A federal judge on Monday afternoon blocked the state of California from unmasking federal agents.
Last month California banned federal law enforcement officers from covering their faces with masks.
The Trump Administration filed a lawsuit against California and argued the state’s new law violated the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.
On Monday, US District Judge Christina Snyder, a Clinton appointee, agreed with the Trump Administration’s assertion that California’s law violated the Supremacy Clause.
Politico reported:
A judge on Monday blocked California from enforcing a new law sharply limiting when federal agents can wear masks while engaged in deportation operations.
U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder rejected the Trump administration’s claim that ICE agents need to wear masks to prevent doxing. However, in a 30-page decision, the judge said California’s “No Secret Police Act” appears to violate the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause by discriminating against the federal government because the law’s provisions do not apply to state or local law enforcement officers.
“The Act treats federal law enforcement officers differently than similarly situated state law enforcement officers,” Snyder concluded.
But the judge also turned down the federal government’s request to block another California law aimed at abuses in immigration enforcement: the “No Vigilantes Act.” It requires most local, state and federal law enforcement personnel to display their name or badge number while on duty.
First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli celebrated the win and blasted California Democrat politicians.
As we have said, states do not have the authority to regulate federal agents. @Scott_Wiener and @CAgovernor tried to mislead the public by claiming they could prevent agents from wearing masks, making it easier to dox them. That state law has now been officially blocked by a… https://t.co/5DA4L77OMY
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) February 10, 2026
US Attorney General Pam Bondi also celebrated the win.
“These federal agents are harassed, doxxed, obstructed, and attacked on a regular basis just for doing their jobs. We have no tolerance for it,” Bondi said.
“We will continue fighting and winning in court for President Trump’s law-and-order agenda — and we will ALWAYS have the backs of our great federal law enforcement officers,” she added.
ANOTHER key court victory thanks to our outstanding @TheJusticeDept attorneys.
Following our arguments, a district court in California BLOCKED the enforcement of a law that would have banned federal agents from wearing masks to protect their identities.
These federal agents are…
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) February 9, 2026
