Gov. Gavin Newsom signs a package of immigration bills at Contreras High School in Los Angeles on Sept. 20, 2025. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a sweeping set of immigration protection bills, making California the first state in the nation to ban federal agents from wearing masks during immigration raids.
Speaking at Miguel Contreras Learning Complex in Los Angeles on Saturday, Newsom criticized former President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement tactics, comparing scenes of masked agents detaining immigrants to a “dystopian sci-fi movie.”
“We’re not North Korea,” Newsom said.
What the New Laws Do
The package of bills focuses on protecting immigrants in schools, hospitals, and other vulnerable spaces while increasing transparency around law enforcement. Key measures include:
- SB 98 (Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, D-Alhambra): Schools must notify students and families if federal agents conduct immigration operations on campus.
- AB 49 (Asm. Al Muratsuchi, D-Rolling Hills Estates): Immigration agents cannot enter nonpublic school areas without a court order or warrant. Schools also cannot share student or staff information without legal authorization.
- SB 81 (Sen. Jesse Arreguín, D-Berkeley): Hospitals and clinics cannot share a patient’s immigration status or birthplace with federal authorities without a warrant.
- SB 627 (Sens. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, and Jesse Arreguín): Bans federal immigration officers from wearing masks while on duty, a first-in-the-nation law.
- SB 805 (Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez): Plainclothes officers must clearly identify themselves with their agency name and badge or ID number.
Federal Pushback
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) strongly opposed the mask ban, saying it puts officers’ safety at risk. DHS officials compared Newsom’s comments to calling agents “secret police.” They also warned the new laws may face legal challenges since federal law overrides state law under the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause.
Bill Essayli, the acting U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, went further, accusing Newsom of threatening federal officials and requesting a U.S. Secret Service investigation.
Why It Matters
Newsom said these laws are about protecting families, students, and patients from what he called “intimidation tactics.” He pointed to a recent case in Little Tokyo where masked agents arrested an undocumented man delivering strawberries near one of his campaign events.
“That’s Trump’s America,” Newsom said.
Other states are watching closely. Connecticut recently passed a similar ban on masks for law enforcement in courthouses. Legal experts expect California’s new laws will be tested in court, but for now, the state is leading the way in challenging federal immigration tactics.
#ImmigrationReform #CaliforniaPolitics #Newsom #ImmigrantRights #BreakingNews