9th Circuit Court Temporarily Blocks California Law on Federal Law Enforcement Identification

<p>The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a temporary injunction on Wednesday against a section of California's No Vigilantes Act, which required plainclothes federal law enforcement agents to display their badges and identification during operations. The court ruled that the Trump administration is likely to succeed in its lawsuit against California, stating that the identification requirement violates the Constitution's supremacy clause, which prioritizes federal law over state law.</p><p>The court noted, "Section 10 explicitly overrides the federal government’s power to determine whether, how, and when to publicly identify its officers." This ruling comes amid ongoing legal disputes between the Trump administration and the 9th Circuit regarding immigration policies, including previous cases concerning federal funding for sanctuary cities and asylum eligibility.</p><p>California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has opposed Trump's immigration policies, has enacted laws aimed at protecting immigrant communities and restricting federal enforcement operations. The Trump administration filed its lawsuit against California in November 2025, challenging both the No Vigilantes Act and the No Secret Police Act, which restricts law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings.</p><p>Initially, Judge Christina Snyder blocked the mask restriction for federal officers but did not block the identification requirement. Following an appeal by the Trump administration, the 9th Circuit temporarily halted enforcement of the identification requirement in February and granted an injunction in April.</p><p>California argued that its identification requirement did not constitute an unconstitutional regulation of federal operations, claiming that a state law only crosses that line when it imposes substantial burdens. However, the appeals court ruled that the state lacked the authority to regulate federal officials directly, stating, "The burden of the regulation on federal operations, whether substantial or otherwise, is irrelevant."</p><p>Officials from the Trump administration, including Brett Shumate, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Division, expressed approval of the ruling. Shumate stated on social media that the 9th Circuit affirmed that California cannot regulate federal law enforcement. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, Jr. also commented, emphasizing that the decision protects the safety of law enforcement officers and supports the enforcement of immigration laws.</p><p>Fox News Digital reached out to Governor Newsom's office for a response.</p>