The California State Assembly has taken another step into the realm of heavy-handed government overreach with the passage of SB 627, a bill that makes it a crime for law enforcement officers to wear masks in the line of duty. While the law technically applies to all levels of law enforcement, its intent is clear: to single out federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers who depend on facial coverings for their own safety.
SB 627 “would make it a crime for a law enforcement officer to wear a facial covering in the performance of their duties,” the text states. The bill even goes so far as to include federal officers in its scope, despite the fact that California has no legal authority over federal agencies. “The bill would define a law enforcement agency for these purposes as any entity of a city, county, or other local agency, that employs anyone designated by California law as a peace officer, any federal law enforcement agency, or any law enforcement agency of another state,” the preamble continues.
The legislation carves out a glaring exemption for state police, such as the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The CHP is currently tasked with providing protection to former Vice President Kamala Harris after President Donald Trump declined to extend her Secret Service detail. This exemption highlights the political double standard at play: state officials can wear masks to protect favored leaders, but federal officers dealing with dangerous criminals and volatile protests are told to go without.
The bill was co-sponsored by State Sen. Anthony Weiner (D-San Francisco), known for pushing some of the state’s most radical measures. He previously authored the “sanctuary state” law for transgender surgeries and a since-repealed law that decriminalized loitering — legislation that fueled a disturbing rise in child prostitution and exploitation. SB 627 fits neatly into that same pattern of prioritizing ideological statements over public safety.
Demonstrators in Los Angeles recently showcased the issue, holding signs and wearing masks outside the Federal Building. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij) The bill claims “the routine use of facial coverings by law enforcement officers has significant implications for public perception, officer-community interactions, and accountability,” insisting that masks “should not obscure officer identity or hinder accountability.”
Critics of law enforcement mask use frame it as “un-American,” yet many of the same voices defend masked demonstrators who turn violent during protests. In their view, protesters are exercising First Amendment rights and should be shielded from consequences. Officers, however, are painted as villains for taking steps to protect themselves and their families from harassment, stalking, and threats.
A striking image from Portland in June 2025 captured the reality: a federal ICE officer, part of the Houston Field Office Special Response Team, stood across from a protester while masked for protection. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File) For ICE, these masks are not about concealment but survival. Radical opposition to immigration enforcement has grown increasingly aggressive, encouraged at times by elected Democrats. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker even urged the public to film ICE officers on duty, effectively inviting activists to expose their identities. Such exposure doesn’t just endanger officers—it puts their families in the crosshairs.
The danger is real. Brandon Gomez, just 10 years old, joined protests in Oxnard, California, covering his own face “out of fear of being identified” after his classmate’s parents were detained by ICE. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) If even children recognize the risk of being exposed, it should be obvious why officers choose to remain masked when confronting violent crowds.
Despite acknowledging that California likely has no power to enforce SB 627 on federal officers, legislators advanced it anyway. The Assembly approved the bill 44-29, sending it forward to the State Senate. Gov. Gavin Newsom has yet to comment. The irony is hard to miss: during the coronavirus pandemic, California imposed some of the harshest mask mandates in the country, requiring face coverings even for healthy individuals in nearly all public settings. Now, the state seeks to criminalize mask-wearing for officers whose lives may depend on it.
SB 627 is not just a California curiosity—it is part of a broader push by left-wing activists nationwide to strip ICE officers and other federal agents of basic protections. The aim is transparent: force these men and women to abandon masks so they can be more easily targeted, intimidated, and silenced. At its core, this measure isn’t about accountability. It’s about undermining law enforcement and making it riskier to enforce the laws that protect American communities.
Then,time for makeup! A little camouflage or red,white and blue. If they ban makeup, the gays will get hostile!