New state anti-masking law set to take effect

A new law that will prohibit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from concealing their faces with masks goes into effect January 1, while a Trump administration lawsuit to stop it is pending.

California's No Secret Police Act, SB 627, authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener, of San Francisco, takes effect Thursday. It’s the nation's first statewide ban on "extreme masking" by law enforcement, including federal immigration officers.

The law prohibits local, federal, and out-of-state officers from concealing their faces with ski masks or other coverings while on duty. There are limited exceptions, such as SWAT operations, health protection, or to protect against hazardous conditions.

The new law will also require most law enforcement to show visible identification and to wear names or badge numbers on their uniforms where they can be seen by the public.

On November 17, the Trump administration filed a suit in federal court in the Central District of California to invalidate the law.

That same day the bill's co-author, state Senator Jesse Arreguin, issued a statement saying a recent memo from the FBI warns that masked criminals were impersonating ICE agents and have carried out robberies, kidnappings and assaults.