A federal appeals court has blocked a California law requiring federal agents, including immigration officers, to wear badges or identification during operations, ruling that the measure unconstitutionally attempts to regulate federal government functions. The decision, issued by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, grants an injunction pending appeal, halting the implementation of the law.
Federal Authority vs. State Regulation
The Trump administration had challenged the law in November 2025, arguing that it threatened officer safety amid rising incidents of harassment, doxing, and violence targeting federal agents. Justice Department lawyers contended that the law violated the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution by directly regulating federal operations. The court agreed, stating in its opinion that California’s law "attempts to directly regulate the United States in its performance of governmental functions."
The law attempts to directly regulate the United States in its performance of governmental functions.
California’s legal team argued that the law applied equally to all law enforcement officers and did not discriminate against federal agents. They also emphasized its importance in addressing public safety concerns. However, the court found that the state cannot impose such requirements on federal agents, as it undermines federal authority.
Broader Implications
This ruling follows a similar federal court decision in February blocking another California law that would have banned most law enforcement officers from wearing masks or facial coverings. That law, which exempted state officers and undercover agents, was also deemed unconstitutional for its attempts to regulate federal law enforcement.
The latest decision reinforces the federal government’s supremacy in regulating its operations, particularly in immigration enforcement, and highlights the ongoing tension between state and federal authority in California.