A Democrat-appointed federal judge has blocked California legislation that would prohibit federal agents from wearing masks while conducting operations within the state, but did not totally rule in favor of the Trump administration.
#BREAKING: Federal judge blocks Gavin Newsom’s law requiring ICE agents to unmask.
— Insider Wire (@InsiderWire) February 9, 2026
🚨 WOW! Newsom’s attempt to unmask ICE agents is SO UNCONSTITUTIONAL that even a CLINTON JUDGE blocked it
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 9, 2026
Other blue states need to take note. You will NOT be subjecting ICE agents to leftist terrorists who will target them with doxing
Ain’t happening!🔥 pic.twitter.com/m3fSnSiEUH
Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the outcome in a statement on social media, claiming victory for the Department of Justice over the latest leftist effort to restrict the activities of ICE conducting lawful deportation operations.
ANOTHER key court victory thanks to our outstanding @TheJusticeDept attorneys.
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) February 9, 2026
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…
“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,” Bondi said in the statement. “These federal agents are harassed, doxxed, obstructed, and attacked on a regular basis just for doing their jobs. We have no tolerance for it.”
“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 continued.
Judge Christina Snyder, who was appointed to her seat by President Bill Clinton, argued that the new law would have to apply to all law enforcement within the state, not just federal agents. Her ruling was not completely in favor of the Trump administration, however. Left in place was a requirement that federal agents display their identities on their uniforms, according to the Washington Times.
🚨 A federal judge has BLOCKED California from enforcing a facial covering prohibition against federal law enforcement officers on the basis that it likely discriminates against those officers. pic.twitter.com/QYewcOKCQb
— SCOTUS Wire (@scotus_wire) February 9, 2026
California Democrats have moved quickly to ensure that their masking prohibition remains in place, as Sen. Scott Wiener, the politician who authored a law to reduce the penalty for knowingly infecting someone with HIV, wrote up a bill to include California Highway Patrol to comply with Snyder’s ruling within hours of it being handed down by the court.
New: After federal court blocked California’s mask ban for ICE officers/federal agents because it don’t apply to all officers in the state, Sen. @Scott_Wiener files bill to apply it to the California Highway Patrol.
— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) February 9, 2026
He notes Newsom’s office wanted them exempted from it: pic.twitter.com/k0laYOgyxX
Governor Gavin Newsom advocated for state police to be exempt from the demasking measure.