Daniel Wolfram
The Trump administration wins another case in court to prevent New York from allowing federal agents to wear masks while on the job.
A federal judge in New York has blocked a state law that tried to prevent federal immigration officers from covering their faces during activities such as raids and operations. The state can no longer penalize federal agents for wearing masks on the job.
This decision hands the United States government a massive second legal victory on the issue this year. A federal court in California previously struck down a similar mask ban.
The court wins in these blue states mean federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement can continue to send agents out on raids with their faces concealed. The federal government argued that unmasking agents puts them at risk during dangerous arrests. Courts agree that states cannot interfere.
Constitutional limits
Governor Kathy Hochul signed a specific New York law in May as part of the state budget bill. The legislation took effect in June. It required federal officers to show visible identification and keep their faces uncovered.
In response, the federal government sued.
United States District Judge Mae D’Agostino sided with the federal government on Monday by temporarily blocking the law. The judge noted that the case was strictly a legal question, not a debate over whether the local rules were a good idea.
According to Huffpost, D’Agostino wrote, “The issue now before the Court is about constitutionality, not transparency or preferable policy decisions.”
Standing their ground
New York leaders promised to obey the court order. Still, they were unhappy with the outcome. The ruling ensures that local police will not arrest federal agents over uniform disagreements.
Governor Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James fired back. The leaders argued in a joint statement that the original state law was entirely necessary to protect residents.
Their statement noted that they “stand firm in our belief that masked agents do not make New York safer and our offices are reviewing all legal options at this time.”
Federal victories in court
The federal government success in overturning these laws is a huge victory for the Trump administration. The victory in California paved the way for the federal government to try the same argument in the New York court circuit.
It will be interesting to see when and where the next court decision will be made. In May, the Department of Justice filed yet another lawsuit, this time against the state of Connecticut.
While Connecticut’s Attorney General calls the law “necessary to protect public safety,” the federal government calls it “blatantly unconstitutional,” and claims states have no authority over federal agents. So far, Trump’s government has proven victorious.
