Los Angeles County supervisors advance measure to ban law enforcement officers from wearing masks

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday morning to advance an ordinance that would ban all law enforcement officers, including "any officer or agent of a federal law enforcement agency," from wearing masks or concealing their identities while on duty.

The ordinance proposed by Supervisor Janice Hahn and co-authored by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath aims at addressing what it calls "unreasonable law enforcement tactics," which the supervisors claim have been used during immigration enforcement operations.

The motion passed the board with a 4-0 vote, with Supervisor Kathryn Barger abstaining. The motion will require a second vote, which will be held on Dec. 9. If it is approved, the ordinance will go into effect 30 days after the second vote.

If approved by a second vote, the ordinance would prohibit law enforcement officers operating within LA County from wearing masks or disguises while carrying out their duties within unincorporated areas. It would also require officers to wear visible identification and agency affiliation while interacting with the public in the course of their duties.

"While ICE law enforcement officers face a 1,150% increase in assaults against them and an 8000% increase in death threats, these Sanctuary politicians of Los Angeles County California want to make it easier for violent political extremists to target our brave men and women of federal law enforcement for enforcing immigration laws and keeping the American people safe," said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, in a statement to CBS LA. 

The ordinance text says there would be "appropriate pre-approved exemptions," including for undercover and tactical operations, health and safety reasons, or when identities have to be protected for legal reasons.

"I never thought I would see the day when a masked, anonymous federal police force would be swarming our neighborhoods, targeting people based on the color of their skin or the language they speak, and forcing men and women into unmarked vans at gunpoint. This is how an authoritarian's secret police operate – not legitimate law enforcement in a democracy," Hahn said, acknowledging that this will likely be met with opposition from the federal government, which has already sued the State of California over a similar law. "This is about our residents' constitutional rights. If this means a fight with the federal government in court, I think it is a fight worth having. We cannot give in now and make this okay in America."

Hahn and Horvath have said the ordinance is necessary to keep communities safe after they claim that immigration operations and tactics used by agents have instilled fear in many communities across the region. 

"For months, federal officers have taken actions that erode the trust of our communities—so much so that Los Angeles County is now under a declared state of emergency," Horvath said. "Today, we are taking a necessary step toward restoring transparency. Los Angeles County is ending anonymous policing in our neighborhoods. If you carry the power of a badge here, you must be visible, accountable, and identifiable to the people you serve."  

In June 2025, immigration enforcement operations from DHS ramped up with several raids taking place over the summer. Protests and demonstrations erupted across Southern California in response to the actions.