California’s attempt to force federal agents to show their faces and badges just hit a major legal wall. On Wednesday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals stepped in to block a specific part of the state’s “No Vigilantes Act,” ruling that California simply doesn’t have the power to tell federal officers how to dress or do their jobs.
The legal battle centers on Section 10 of the act, a law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom back in September 2025.
It required federal agents—specifically those with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—to wear visible identification, including their agency name and either a personal name or badge number, while on patrol. While the law made exceptions for undercover work, any other federal officer caught without a visible ID would have faced a misdemeanor charge under California law.
READ: U.S. Navy ‘Late To The Game’ On Drone Ships, Florida Senator Rick Scott Warns
However, the appeals court didn’t buy the state’s logic. Writing for the court, Judge Mark Bennett argued that the law overstepped a major boundary in the U.S. Constitution known as the Supremacy Clause.
This clause basically says federal law and federal operations trump state rules when the two clash. Bennett noted that the California law was a direct attempt to “regulate the United States in its performance of governmental functions” and “control their conduct in performing law enforcement operations.”
The ruling was met with immediate praise from critics of the law. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli took to X to call the decision a “huge legal victory,” noting that the court has now permanently blocked what he described as an unconstitutional attempt to target federal agents.
This court decision is the latest chapter in a long-running feud between California leaders and federal immigration authorities. Tensions boiled over last summer during intense protests in Los Angeles, and just this past October, the Department of Justice arrested ten people following a violent anti-ICE demonstration at a California marijuana farm.
READ: Scott Bessent Grills Maryland Sen. Van Hollen In Heated Senate Showdown Over IRS Cuts
The debate isn’t just local, either. Democratic Senators Cory Booker and Alex Padilla have been pushing for similar “maskless” rules on a national level since last July.
Those efforts have contributed to a high-stakes standoff in D.C., where the Department of Homeland Security remains shut down as lawmakers fight over ICE reforms, including mandates for body cameras and the removal of face masks. For now, though, the Ninth Circuit has made it clear that California’s individual attempt to enforce these rules won’t be moving forward.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
