Over the last weekend, California Governor Gavin Newsom imposed a ban on the usage of masks by cops under local and federal jurisdiction, including ICE agents. The one-of-a-kind bill was passed by Newsom in California in response to the recent raids conducted by ICE agents. Talking about the step, he spoke of its requirement while emphasising on the need for accountability from the people carrying out these activities.
As expected, Gavin Newsom’s bill was met with a lot of criticism, especially from Republicans who are not too happy about it. Their dissatisfaction over the matter does not come as a surprise, as the party, along with President Donald Trump, who represents it, is the one calling for the crackdown on the immigrant population.
Some of the people who openly slandered the bill were Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. In a post made on X, he shared that the state of California did not have jurisdiction over the federal government. He also mentioned that he had advised the agencies that the law signed by Newsom in California would not affect their operations. This means that they can continue to wear masks to protect their identities while carrying out their raids perusual.
The Department of Homeland Security also echoed a similar sentiment in their X post. They called Newsom’s attempts at banning masks “unconstitutional” and refused to comply with it. They also called him out for putting the agents at risk at a time when there has been a ” 1,000% increase in assaults,”
On September 24, 2025, news emerged that a shooter had opened fire at a US ICE location from a distant location. The incident had caused the death of 1 detainee and injured 2, before the shooter took his own life. Details about the incident remain under wraps for now. However, Kash Patel, the Director of the FBI, has shared a photo on X that shows a bullet from the scene, which has “ANTI-ICE” written on it.
Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, on September 24, 2025, in a conference, addressed the situation and attacked Newsom for his mask ban bill. He used the incident as an instance of what happens when the safety of agents is not prioritised, leading to people committing violence. He also asked Newsom to go “straight to hell.”
In response, Gavin Newsom took to X to share that he would not be doing so. He also joked and said:
Though when I watch you speak I certainly feel like I’m already there.”
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