Senator Wiener Responds to DHS Call for Newsom to Veto No Secret Police Act

• “Masked secret police are not making anyone safer; instead they’re creating an environment of lawlessness and fear that puts federal agents, local law enforcement, and civilians in danger.” – Senator Scott Wiener

SACRAMENTO – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, called on Governor Gavin Newsom to veto the No Secret Police Act, SB 627, which bans federal and local law enforcement, including ICE, from wearing ski masks and other forms of extreme masking. The legislation passed the California Legislature last week and is awaiting Newsom’s signature.

Senator Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, the lead author of SB 627, issued a strong statement in response.

“Donald Trump and Kristi Noem have unleashed a masked secret police force to wreak havoc on our communities, and I introduced Senate Bill 627 to help put a stop to this terror campaign,” Wiener said. “As this authoritarian regime expands its reach into every aspect of daily life — including terrorizing people where they work, where they live, where they go to school, where they shop, where they seek health care — California will stand for the rule of law and for basic freedoms. We’re not going to be bullied by Trump and Noem, and we’ll continue to stand up for Californians’ dignity and humanity.”

He continued, “Law enforcement can do their jobs without wearing ski masks, and if you think you need to wear a ski mask while patrolling and making arrests, you may want to consider a different line of work.

“Masked secret police are not making anyone safer; instead they’re creating an environment of lawlessness and fear that puts federal agents, local law enforcement, and civilians in danger,” Senator Wiener continued. “Gaslight us all you want, but Californians know that masked, armed individuals roaming our streets — looking like they just robbed the liquor store — aren’t making us safer.”

He noted, ” DHS has been kidnapping families into unmarked vans, disappearing people to Alligator Alcatraz and foreign dictatorial countries, and now they’ve been given a license by the Supreme Court to racially profile and harass anyone who is Latino or speaks Spanish, including U.S. citizens. It’s up to us to help restore the trust in law enforcement that DHS has broken with its secret police tactics, and the No Secret Police Act is where we must begin.

“Bottom line: Back off, Kristi.”

In recent months, federal law enforcement officers have carried out raids in California and nationwide while covering their faces and, at times, concealing badges, names, and other identifying information. Officers have sometimes worn jackets labeled “Police,” creating confusion with local law enforcement. Such operations have taken place in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Concord, Downey, Montebello, and other cities since the administration ramped up its immigration enforcement.

California secured a restraining order against ICE raids in Southern California after a judge found the agency had engaged in racial profiling, denied detainees access to counsel, and targeted residents at work sites like Home Depot. The U.S. Supreme Court later overturned the lower court ruling, siding with the executive branch.

ICE officers’ conduct has raised safety concerns. During a San Francisco raid on families attending immigration court hearings, ICE officers drove an SUV into a group of protestors, injuring a woman. Officers also pepper sprayed demonstrators, threw several to the ground, and pointed a rifle at a reporter.

Masked officers have also abducted residents from public areas, sending them to detention centers in other states or even to facilities abroad. University students, workers, and others have been detained without notice to their families.

The rise in masked law enforcement tactics has also spurred dangerous impersonations. In South Carolina, a man was charged with kidnapping and impersonating a police officer after stopping a group of Latino men and telling them, “You’re going back to Mexico.” In North Carolina, another man was arrested for allegedly posing as an ICE officer and sexually assaulting a woman under threat of deportation. In Florida, a woman was arrested for impersonating a masked ICE officer and kidnapping her ex-boyfriend’s wife.

The No Secret Police Act defines law enforcement officers broadly, covering local and federal officers, individuals acting on behalf of federal agencies, and out-of-state officers. The bill allows exemptions for SWAT teams, approved undercover assignments, protective and medical masks, helmets, and other specialized gear.

Violations can result in an infraction or misdemeanor unless an agency has a policy that complies with the law’s masking standards. Civil penalties apply when officers commit certain offenses, including assault, false arrest, or malicious prosecution, while willfully concealing their faces.

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