On April 22 (Wednesday), the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a restraining order that prohibits California from implementing a new law targeting federal law enforcement officers during the pending appeal. The judge ruled that the state government does not have the authority to directly oversee the operations of the federal government.
In September 2025, Governor Newsom signed a series of bills aimed at obstructing the Trump administration’s enforcement actions against illegal immigrants in California, including the “No Vigilantes Act” (SB805). This law mandates law enforcement officers to wear clear and visible identification indicating their agency and badge number while on duty.
A panel of three judges stated in their ruling on Wednesday that California’s law “attempts to directly interfere with the functioning of the federal government.” According to the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, “states are not authorized to enforce such legislation.”
The Trump administration argued in the lawsuit that California’s law threatens the safety of federal law enforcement officers, who have faced “unprecedented harassment, personal data breaches, and even violent threats.” Additionally, these laws jeopardize the sensitive operations of law enforcement officers, raising concerns of unconstitutionality.
Following the recent ruling, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has leaned towards the federal position by halting the enforcement of California’s law until all legal proceedings are finalized. Prior to this, the court had already ruled to temporarily suspend the enactment of the law.
U.S. Assistant Prosecutor Bill Essayli expressed on social media that this ruling is a “major legal victory” for the Trump administration and the Department of Justice, while California expressed disappointment with the decision.
In addition to halting the “No Vigilantes Act,” federal judges also blocked the implementation of California’s “No Secret Police Act” (anti-mask law).
The “No Secret Police Act,” signed by Governor Newsom, prohibits federal law enforcement officers from wearing masks to conceal their identities while performing their duties. Subsequently, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Newsom and the California Attorney General.
On February 9, U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder, appointed by Democratic President Bill Clinton, blocked California’s “No Secret Police Act.”
However, California Democratic state senators who pushed for the law did not give up; instead, they introduced emergency legislation SB1004, which prohibits all law enforcement officers (including those at the state, local, and federal levels) from wearing masks while on duty.
It is currently unclear whether Newsom will continue to sign this newly proposed legislation, and it is uncertain whether the Trump administration will launch a new round of legal challenges.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) previously explained in a statement that law enforcement officers use masks to protect their identities in order to “avoid becoming targets of drug cartels, criminal organizations, terrorists, and online doxing.” All ICE enforcement officers carry badges and credentials and will provide identification when necessary for public safety or legal purposes.