By Vanguard Staff
SACRAMENTO, CA – A pair of bills aimed at ending the use of face coverings by law enforcement and requiring clearer identification passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee this week, as concern mounts over secretive and aggressive federal immigration enforcement operations in California communities.
Senate Bill 627, the No Secret Police Act, authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), and Senate Bill 805, the No Vigilantes Act, authored by Senator Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena), both advanced with SB 627 passing 5-2 and SB 805 passing unanimously 6-0. The bills now move to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
The legislation responds to a surge in masked federal raids under the Trump administration, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents accused of wearing ski masks, concealing badges, and detaining people without clearly identifying themselves. According to Wiener, such tactics mirror those of authoritarian states and erode trust in law enforcement.
Wiener said ICE’s extreme masking behavior, often involving racial profiling and raids without transparency, has sown fear in communities and made law enforcement indistinguishable from criminals. He called the measures essential for rebuilding public trust and maintaining public safety, arguing that officers should be proud to show their faces and identify themselves.
Pérez emphasized the growing threat of police impersonation and the danger posed by unidentified agents. She said the legislation is urgently needed to ensure Californians can distinguish between legitimate law enforcement and those using the appearance of authority to terrorize or exploit.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass backed both bills, joining a coalition of civil rights, labor, and privacy organizations. She said the presence of masked individuals in her city has done nothing but instill fear and thanked the senators for their leadership.
The concern stems from a recent wave of ICE raids across California — in cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Concord, Downey, and Montebello — where masked officers have detained people while impersonating local police. Last week, a court issued a restraining order blocking some Southern California ICE raids after a judge found the agency engaged in racial profiling and denied access to legal counsel.
At one raid outside a San Francisco immigration court, ICE agents reportedly drove into a crowd of protestors, pepper-sprayed them, tackled several to the ground, and brandished a rifle at a journalist. In some cases, people have been taken across state lines or even deported to El Salvador without family notification.
The No Secret Police Act would apply to all law enforcement, including those acting on behalf of federal agencies. A first violation would be an infraction, while repeat violations could result in misdemeanor charges. The bill exempts medical masks, protective gear for hazardous environments, and facial coverings used in SWAT or undercover operations.
SB 627 is jointly authored by Pérez and Senator Jesse Arreguin (D-Berkeley), with a long list of coauthors and support from the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), the Prosecutors’ Alliance, and the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice.
Prosecutors Alliance Action Director Cristine Soto DeBerry said the bill reaffirms the public’s right to know who polices them and prevents secret police tactics from becoming normalized in California.
The companion bill, SB 805, strengthens penalties for impersonating law enforcement and requires officers to clearly display names or badge numbers. It’s a top priority for the California Latino Legislative Caucus and now includes an urgency clause allowing it to take effect immediately upon being signed into law.
Several recent incidents of police impersonation have fueled support for the bill. In South Carolina, a man allegedly posed as an ICE agent to detain Latino men at a traffic stop. In North Carolina, a man impersonated an ICE officer and sexually assaulted a woman. In Florida, a woman was arrested for dressing as an ICE agent and kidnapping her ex-boyfriend’s wife.
Supporters argue the two bills are a necessary step to restore transparency and accountability in policing, especially amid efforts by the federal government to deputize local law enforcement in immigration enforcement.
