The public was never supposed to see the face of ICE agent Johnathan Ross when he opened fire on Renee Good’s SUV in Minnesota. Video taken from the scene shows Ross adjusting his face mask after shooting the unarmed citizen in the head and before fleeing in an unmarked car. It wasn’t until Secretary Kristi Noem bragged about him being an “experienced officer” that Ross’ mask finally came down.
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The Dec. 7 tragedy has sparked ongoing concerns that immigration enforcement officers are abusing the use of face masks. While President Donald Trump and supporters of mass deportation say coverings keep agents safe by protecting their identities, critics argue that’s exactly the problem.
In California, local leaders took action against masked agents before Good’s shooting. A new law, which was supposed to take effect on Jan. 1, is the first of it’s kind targeting “extreme masking” by law enforcement, according to reports. Local leaders have praised California SB 627— dubbed the “No Secret Police Act.” But expectedly, Trump isn’t too happy about it.
We previously told you the president sent National Guard troops and ICE agents to enforce his deportation mandate in states like California and Minnesota. After months of what Trump called successful strikes on migrant communities, California politicians like Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have repeatedly condemned military enforcement against residents.
But as we should know by now, Trump doesn’t listen to the critiques of Democrats… so they took the legal route.
“ICE agents who terrorize California communities while covering their faces will be in violation of California law and subject to civil and criminal liability,” said San Francisco Sen. Scott Wiener. “There is no legitimate reason for ICE or any law enforcement officer to cover their faces while conducting normal operations and doing so undermines public safety and erodes trust in law enforcement.”
The state’s new law prevents law enforcement from using ski masks and other coverings to conceal their faces while on duty. Exceptions include SWAT operations and protection against hazardous conditions. The law also requires agents to provide visible identification and wear name tags or badge numbers on their uniforms.
The debate on whether officers should be allowed to hide their identity has become a tension subject across the nation, especially after Wednesday’s fatal shooting in Minneapolis.
Since Trump walked back into the White House, fears of arrests and deportation — no matter your legal immigration status — continue to plague citizens and migrants alike. LA Mayor Bass argued these fears are a result of masked ICE agents violently and abruptly “kidnapping” everyday people.
Bass has been vocal about the unwanted ICE presence in her city for months. “These masked men pull up in unmarked cars and jump out of the cars with rifles and detain people,” she said in a interview with CBS. “For the average citizen, it looks like it’s a violent kidnapping. You should never have that.”
The state bill was introduced late last year. Trump responded with a lawsuit of his own in November, which continues to delay the law in practice. His lawyers argue California’s bill violates the Constitution’s supremacy clause, which states federal law outweighs state law when the two conflict with each other.
Republican Bill Essayli, who is the first assistant U.S. attorney in central California, responded to the state’s legislation declaring, “California has no authority to regulate federal agents. This state law violates the federal Supremacy Clause…California has agreed to put the law on hold and not enforce its unconstitutional mask ban, which is designed to allow radical leftists to dox federal agents enforcing immigration laws,” according to FOX News.
A judge has yet to rule on California’s “No Secret Police Act.” If it takes affect, the law has the potential to change law enforcement practice across the country.
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