Federal judge blocks California law forcing ICE agents to remove masks during operations | 9 Feb 2026 | A Los Angeles‑based federal judge on Monday blocked California from enforcing its law that would require ICE agents to remove masks during immigration enforcement operations. Judge Christina Snyder, appointed during the Clinton administration, granted a preliminary injunction against the “No Secret Police Act,” arguing that it discriminated against the federal government by violating the Supremacy Clause. Under the constitutional clause, federal law takes precedence over any conflicting state or local law, rendering the lower-level law unenforceable. Snyder said the “No Secret Police” ruling hinged on California exempting its own state officers while penalizing federal agents.