Federal judge blocks New York law banning ICE agents from wearing masks

U.S. District Judge Mae D’Agostino of the Northern District of New York issued a preliminary injunction halting New York’s law that prohibited Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing masks or other face coverings and required them to display visible identification. The judge said the state’s “face covering and identification acts” likely violate the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which bars states from regulating federal law‑enforcement operations.

The ruling allows a separate provision of the state budget bill—barring local police from entering into 287(g) agreements with ICE—to take effect on Aug. 25. Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James said they will review legal options and reiterated their belief that “masked agents do not make New York safer.” The decision aligns with earlier federal court rulings that blocked similar mask bans in California and underscores the Trump‑administration‑backed position that ICE agents need masks for safety and to avoid harassment.