- “Today’s passage of SB 627 sends a clear and unequivocal message: California will not tolerate secret police.” – Cristine Soto DeBerry, Executive Director of Prosecutors Alliance Action
By Vanguard Staff
SAN FRANCISCO – The California Legislature has approved Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) SB 627, the No Secret Police Act, sending it to the Governor for final consideration. The legislation prohibits local and federal law enforcement from concealing their faces with extreme masking and is being framed by its backers as a vital safeguard against secret police tactics that undermine community trust.
SB 627 passed the Assembly 45-23 and the Senate 26-9. The Governor has until October 13 to decide whether to sign or veto the bill. Supporters say it is the first such measure in the nation to win final legislative approval, even as similar bills are being introduced in other states and Congress.
“We have to stand up and say no to the secret police raining fear and intimidation on communities across California,” said Senator Wiener. “Law enforcement should never be easily confused with the guy in the ski mask robbing a liquor store, yet that’s what’s happening with ICE’s extreme masking. In the face of rising fascism, California must hold those who are threatening our communities accountable and restore confidence in our local law enforcement who are proud to show their faces.”
Cristine Soto DeBerry, Executive Director of Prosecutors Alliance Action, called the measure essential at a time when federal immigration enforcement has drawn sharp criticism. “Today’s passage of SB 627 sends a clear and unequivocal message: California will not tolerate secret police. This bill makes sure that when officers cover their faces, it is only for genuine health, safety, or tactical reasons — not to hide abuse or escape accountability. At a time when federal agents are sowing fear in our communities and the Supreme Court has essentially sanctioned racial profiling by federal officers, this safeguard is essential. We urge the Governor to sign SB 627 into law without delay.”
Advocates in immigrant communities say the bill responds directly to lived fears. “The passage of SB 627 is a major victory for immigrant communities across California and especially here in the Inland Empire, where the fear of masked and unaccountable law enforcement is a daily reality for many,” said Hector Pereyra, Political Manager for the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice. “At a time when the Supreme Court has given ICE even more power to racially profile and detain our community members, this bill sends a powerful message: California will not stand by while federal agents operate like secret police. SB 627 is a critical step toward restoring transparency, trust, and safety.”
“SB 627 is a vital step toward restoring public trust in law enforcement. The routine use of facial coverings by officers not only undermines transparency—it increases the risk of impersonation and obstructs accountability,” said Hector Villagra, Vice President of Policy Advocacy and Community Education at the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Ed Fund (MALDEF). “By establishing clear criminal penalties as well as a civil remedy and damages, this bill sends a powerful message about California’s commitment to democratic values. It protects residents from the fear and confusion caused by masked, unidentified individuals snatching people off our sidewalks, and it reins in a dangerous practice before it becomes normalized. We urge the Governor to sign it into law.”
The bill’s momentum comes after months of federal immigration raids in California and elsewhere in which officers covered their faces and, in some cases, obscured their badges and names. Federal officers have been reported wearing jackets marked “Police,” raising fears that they are impersonating local law enforcement. Such raids have taken place in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Concord, Downey, Montebello, and other cities since the Trump administration ramped up immigration enforcement efforts.
California won a restraining order halting ICE raids in Southern California after a judge found the agency had engaged in racial profiling, denied detainees access to attorneys, and targeted residents at workplaces such as Home Depot. But the U.S. Supreme Court recently reversed the lower court ruling, criticizing California courts for attempting to limit executive branch power and effectively allowing raids to resume.
Critics point to specific incidents as evidence of the danger posed by masked enforcement operations. During one San Francisco operation, ICE officers drove an SUV into a group of protesters, injuring a woman. Officers also pepper sprayed demonstrators, slammed several people to the ground, and pointed a rifle at a journalist.
In other cases, masked officers have grabbed people off the street without explanation and transported them to detention centers across state lines, leaving families without information on their whereabouts. Some detainees have been sent as far as El Salvador, where a detention facility has been used to house U.S. immigration detainees.
The use of masks has also inspired impersonators across the country, prompting law enforcement concerns. 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 allegedly posed as an ICE officer, sexually assaulted a woman, and threatened to deport her if she refused. In Florida, a woman was arrested for impersonating a masked ICE officer and kidnapping her ex-boyfriend’s wife.
Backers of SB 627 argue that these incidents show the urgent need for clear rules around police identification. They note that state law does not currently prohibit officers from concealing their faces in most circumstances, leaving room for abuse and confusion.
The bill defines law enforcement broadly, covering any peace officer at the local or federal level, any person acting on behalf of a federal agency, and even out-of-state officers operating in California.
It carves out exemptions for legitimate uses of face coverings, including SWAT operations, approved undercover assignments, translucent masks, motorcycle helmets, protective eyewear against retinal weapons, N95 and surgical masks, breathing equipment for toxic or smoky environments, masks for extreme weather, and gear for underwater operations.
A willful violation can be prosecuted as either an infraction or misdemeanor, though agencies that adopt facial covering policies meeting SB 627 standards would be shielded from criminal penalties. Civil penalties apply only when officers are found to have committed offenses such as assault, battery, false arrest, or malicious prosecution while also violating the masking ban.
The bill is sponsored by MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund), Prosecutors Alliance Action, and the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice. Advocates say the legislation is meant to close a glaring loophole in state law and ensure California does not allow local or federal police to operate in ways that intimidate communities and erode public trust.
Follow the Vanguard on Social Media – X, Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe the Vanguard News letters. To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit davisvanguard.org/donate or give directly through ActBlue. Your support will ensure that the vital work of the Vanguard continues.
