Judge blocks New York law banning federal officers from wearing masks
A federal judge has blocked New York’s law banning federal officers from wearing face coverings and requiring they wear physical identification.
The ruling stops the law from taking effect while the legal challenge moves forward. The law was put into place after the Trump administration started its immigration crackdown.
A judge in New York’s Northern District ruled Monday that the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause does not allow New York to regulate federal law enforcement activities.
“New York cannot impose its own uniform requirements on federal agents simply because it disagrees with how the federal government is exercising its authority,” District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino wrote in her opinion.
Other similar laws
It also follows a similar decision earlier this year, when a federal judge blocked California from enforcing nearly identical requirements.
The laws were passed after the Trump administration expanded immigration enforcement, with supporters saying masked federal agents should be identifiable and the administration arguing the requirements interfere with federal law enforcement.
The decision marks another win for the Trump administration, which has also challenged similar laws in Connecticut, New Jersey, Virginia and Philadelphia.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
