A federal appeals court on Wednesday blocked part of a California law that would have required immigration agents and other federal officers to clearly identify themselves while on duty.
In a ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, judges said the state overstepped its authority by trying to impose rules on federal law enforcement. The decision focused on a provision in California’s No Vigilantes Act that would have required agents, including those with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to display visible identification such as their name, badge number, or agency.
The law, passed by the state legislature and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2025, aimed to address concerns about masked officers operating during immigration enforcement actions. Supporters argued that requiring identification would improve transparency and accountability, particularly during high-profile raids that had drawn public scrutiny.
But the court said that specific requirement ran into a constitutional problem. Writing for the panel, Judge Mark Bennett said the provision directly interfered with how the federal government carries out its duties. Under the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, states cannot regulate federal operations in that way. The opinion described the law as an attempt to control how federal agents perform their work, something the state is not allowed to do.
Huge legal victory this morning in the Ninth Circuit, where the court permanently enjoined California’s unconstitutional mask law targeting federal agents.
“We conclude that § 10 of the No Vigilantes Act attempts to directly regulate the United States in its performance of… pic.twitter.com/fZNjG9QepO
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) April 22, 2026
The ruling blocks enforcement of that section of the law, which would have made it a misdemeanor for officers to fail to comply. Other parts of the No Vigilantes Act were not the focus of this decision.
Federal officials welcomed the outcome. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli called it a significant legal win, saying the court had permanently stopped what he described as an unconstitutional effort to target federal agents.
The issue sits within a broader and ongoing clash between California and federal authorities over immigration policy. In recent years, the state has moved to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, while also seeing large protests tied to ICE activity. One demonstration last summer at a marijuana farm led to multiple arrests after violence broke out.
BREAKING: The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has issued an injunction blocking enforcement of California’s new law that requires ICE agents to unmask and wear visible ID, arguing it violates the Supremacy Clause because it “attempts to directly regulate the United States in its… pic.twitter.com/jedIEO0z2N
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) April 22, 2026
At the same time, some Democratic lawmakers at the federal level have been pushing for changes that would apply nationwide. A proposal introduced in 2025 by Senators Cory Booker and Alex Padilla included requirements for immigration agents to wear body cameras and avoid face coverings, reflecting similar concerns raised in California.
The court’s decision doesn’t settle that larger debate, but it does reinforce the legal boundary between state laws and federal authority. For now, at least, California cannot require federal immigration officers to unmask or display identification while carrying out their duties.
