Court strikes down California law requiring federal agents to wear ID

A federal court issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday barring California from enforcing a law requiring federal agents to display identification. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli on Wednesday characterized the ruling as a major legal victory.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed both the so-called No Vigilantes Act and the No Secret Police Act in 2025, requiring all federal agents to display either their names or badge numbers and their faces during operations. California officials insisted the laws would increase accountability and prevent people from impersonating federal agents. The Trump administration argued that the laws put federal agents and their families at risk of being doxxed or otherwise targeted.

A federal judge in February blocked the No Secret Police Act, finding that it unfairly targeted federal agents, requiring them to wear masks but not other members of law enforcement.

The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals concluded on Wednesday that the No Vigilantes Act aimed to directly regulate the federal government’s performance while carrying out its governmental functions, which is forbidden under the Supremacy Clause. The Trump administration’s argument is likely to succeed on the merits, and the injunction blocking the legislation’s enforcement was granted pending appeal, according to the court’s ruling.

What is the state saying? Attorney General Rob Bonta’s press office emphasized the need for transparency and accountability for effective law enforcement in a Wednesday statement to WORLD. The Trump administration stepped well outside normal practice by deploying masked, unidentified agents to carry out immigration operations, according to the office. Trump officials disregarded the risks these tactics posed to public safety and basic civil liberties, the office added.