Democrat officials have accused federal agents of acting as a secret police force. The DOJ says masks are necessary to protect them from further violence.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is waging a nationwide courtroom battle against states that have implemented bans on federal officers wearing face masks.
Federal enforcement operations targeting illegal immigration across the country have been met with protests, riots, and violence, making it necessary for federal officers to be able to wear masks, the Trump administration has argued. Without them, agents could face increased risks to their livelihood and their families.
Some have been doxxed and stalked by opponents of immigration enforcement. Others face harassment and assault.
Meanwhile, Democratic officials have accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol officers of acting as a secret police force by concealing their identities.
Here’s a rundown of states’ actions and the DOJ’s lawsuits.
Cities, States Implementing Mask Bans
Lawmakers in California, New York, Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Denver have implemented policies to unmask federal officers. Denver is the only one not facing a DOJ lawsuit.
California began the trend a year ago. On Sept. 20, 2025, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the No Secret Police and No Vigilantes Acts into law.
The No Secret Police Act prohibited local and federal—but not state—law enforcement from wearing masks, with exceptions, making it a misdemeanor if an officer was in violation. The No Vigilantes Act required all law enforcement officers to wear identifiable features, such as badge numbers or names.
Newsom called the laws a step in pushing back against the “authoritarian tendencies” of the Trump administration.
“It’s like a dystopian sci-fi movie. Unmarked cars, people in masks, people quite literally disappearing. No due process, no rights in a democracy where we have rights,” Newsom said at the time.
These types of comments have been seen across the board from Democratic officials in states enacting similar laws, including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who accused ICE of “terrorizing people.”
By Troy Myers
