"One of the laws required all law enforcement operating in the state to visibly display identification while on duty, with narrow exclusions for plainclothes, undercover and SWAT details. It applied to everyone else, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. But the other law, a ban on masks worn by on-duty law enforcement officers, applied only to local cops and federal agents, with a broad exemption for the California Highway Patrol and other state peace officers."
"In the halls of the statehouse last year, Sen. Scott Wiener's (D-San Francisco) No Secret Police Act and Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez's (D-Alhambra) No Vigilantes Act were referred to as "legislative twins," a nod to their shared gestation and conjoined legal fate. If passed, both would immediately be challenged by the Trump administration."
"Polls show unmasking ICE is overwhelmingly popular with voters, and both Wiener and Gov. Gavin Newsom took credit for getting the bill passed. But behind the scenes, according to nearly two dozen sources familiar with the legislative process who spoke to The Times, a fight had been brewing between the two Democrats."
California passed two companion laws designed to increase transparency and accountability for federal immigration enforcement agents operating in the state. The first law requires all law enforcement, including ICE officers, to visibly display identification while on duty with narrow exceptions. The second law bans masks worn by on-duty law enforcement officers. During legal proceedings, U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder questioned why the mask ban applied only to local and federal agents while exempting state peace officers like the California Highway Patrol. The identification law survived its initial court challenge from the Trump administration, but the mask ban faced legal obstacles. Both measures were referred to as "legislative twins" due to their shared purpose of unmasking federal immigration enforcement activities.
#immigration-enforcement #california-legislation #police-accountability #ice-transparency #legal-challenge
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