By Jaimie Ding | Related Press
LOS ANGELES — The Trump administration filed a lawsuit Monday over California’s new legal guidelines banning federal brokers from sporting masks and requiring them to have identification whereas conducting operations within the state.
RELATED: California bans most regulation enforcement officers from sporting masks
The federal authorities has argued the legal guidelines threaten the security of officers who’re dealing with “unprecedented” harassment, doxing, and violence and mentioned it won’t adjust to them.
The regulation prohibits neck gaiters, ski masks and different facial coverings for native and federal officers, together with immigration enforcement brokers, whereas they conduct official enterprise. It makes exceptions for undercover brokers, protecting gear like N95 respirators or tactical gear, and it doesn’t apply to state police.
“California’s anti-law enforcement policies discriminate against the federal government and are designed to create risk for our agents. These laws cannot stand,” U.S. Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi mentioned in a press launch.
The lawsuit mentioned there have been a number of incidents the place Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have been adopted and their households threatened. It cites a case of three ladies in Los Angeles who’re being accused of livestreaming whereas following an ICE agent residence and posting the handle on Instagram.
“Given the personal threats and violence that agents face, federal law enforcement agencies allow their officers to choose whether to wear masks to protect their identities and provide an extra layer of security,” the lawsuit mentioned.
Critics have raised issues concerning the elevated position of federal brokers in native policing and sometimes unidentified brokers conducting immigration enforcement actions.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a memo in October to regulation enforcement companies throughout the nation advising officers to obviously determine themselves within the discipline. It cited a number of incidents the place masked criminals posed as immigration officers robbed and kidnapped victims.
The federal authorities additionally mentioned in its lawsuit that the legal guidelines violate the Supremacy Clause of the Structure, which prohibits states from regulating the federal authorities. It mentioned the regulation banning federal officers from sporting masks discriminates in opposition to the federal authorities as a result of it exempts state police.
California Legal professional Basic Rob Bonta’s workplace mentioned it was reviewing the grievance.
“It’s problematic when Californians can’t tell the difference between a law enforcement officer who is charged with protecting them and a criminal who is attempting to cause them harm,” Bonta’s workplace mentioned in an announcement. “The FBI itself has warned that the practice of ICE agents obscuring their identity has led to a rise in copycats committing crimes, threatening public safety and eroding trust in law enforcement.”
