LAPD REFUSES to Enforce Newsom’s Law Enforcement Mask Ban

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In a blow to Gov. Newsom, the Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department just openly refused to enforce the new ban on masks for law enforcement.

The new law was made to target federal immigration agents, who have been wearing masks in order to protect their identities during operations.

But, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell says he will not be directing his police force to cite ICE and Border Patrol agents for the new violation, calling it impractical.

Watch what he had to say here for yourself:

For some background, Newsom signed a bill in September making it a misdemeanor for any law enforcement — including federal agents — to wear masks.

The law was set to go into effect in California this month.

Fox News reported:

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell told Fox Los Angeles’ “Good Day LA” that his department will not enforce the directive from California Gov. Newsom.

From a tactical perspective, having officers cite federal authorities for what amounts to a misdemeanor could be unsafe, he said.

“From a practical standpoint, our role when we get to a scene is to de-escalate the situation, not to ramp it up,” McDonnell said. “Trying to enforce a misdemeanor violation on another law enforcement agency, that’s not going to end well. And that’s not going to be good.”

“From a public safety standpoint for anybody in that environment. Potentially you have a crowd that could be agitated and trying to get their point across,” he added. “And then you have the ICE agents who are doing their job. And for us to come in then and try and create an enforcement action for wearing a mask, it’s not a safe way to do business.”

In September 2025, Newsom signed a bill into law banning law enforcement from wearing face coverings while conducting official business across the state.

The bill makes it a misdemeanor crime for local, state or federal law enforcement to wear masks or personal disguises during their duties, unless an officer is undercover or performing a tactical operation that requires protective gear.

President Trump’s administration is in the process of suing over the law, citing concerns for the safety of our ICE and Border Patrol agents amid doxxing threats.

And, it looks like the judge may soon give them a victory.

ABC 7 has more:

The ban on face coverings, known as the “No Secret Police Act,” was introduced following immigration raids across Southern California that began last summer.

The Trump Administration is also challenging the ban, which went into effect on January 1.

So far, the judge presiding over that case has indicated that the federal government has a strong argument that this could be discrimination against federal agents since some California state law enforcement is exempt.



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