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California bans masks meant to hide law enforcement officers' identities

The law, opposed by police organizations, was aimed by lawmakers at immigration agents and will test state powers over the conduct of federal officials.

Saying it's the first bill of its type in the country, Newsom — a Democrat and frequent critic of President Trump — said it was a sign of growing authoritarianism to have detentions in by masked men "hidden from accountability, any transparency, any oversight. President Trump's mass deportation program has led to scenes of masked federal agents detaining people off the streets, often without badges or indicating what agency they're from. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican running in the 2026 race for governor, said the ban showed Newsom and Democratic lawmakers care more about the safety of criminals than officers.

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