Written by Betsalel Shafa

On June 16, Senate Bill 627 was introduced by Senators Scott Wiener and Jesse Arreguin to prohibit local, state, and federal officers from wearing face coverings during public interactions. This stemmed from public outrage over the lengths that ICE agents take to conceal their identities during raids and confrontations with the public. This measure requires officers to keep their faces visible and display identification on their uniforms, with clear exemptions for SWAT teams, medical masks, clear riot shields, and smoke protection. The Department of Homeland Security strongly condemned the proposed bill, calling it “despicable,” warning that revealing officers’ identities could expose them to retaliation and compromise their safety. Other professionals question California’s authority to enforce the ban on federal agents, saying that the state cannot regulate face coverings worn by ICE and other federal officers. This is all still developing, and the possibility of this bill being passed may be slim due to the Trump administration.