Across the nation, the men and women who enforce our immigration laws have become targets. They face harassment, violence, and coordinated campaigns to expose their identities to hostile activists eager to track their every move. You’d think state governments would rally behind these officers. Instead, some have chosen to make their dangerous jobs even more perilous—actively working to strip away the basic protections that keep them safe from radical mobs.

For months, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have operated under an unprecedented climate of fear. Organized groups photograph them during arrests, publish their home addresses online, and rally violent demonstrators to confront them at every turn. A sane person might expect elected officials to condemn such intimidation. California’s Democratic leadership had a different idea. They decided to join the effort, passing legislation specifically designed to expose federal agents to the very activists hunting them.

From the Daily Wire:

ICE agents currently face a more than 1,000% increase in assaults, a surge in doxxing efforts, and a roughly 8,000% jump in death threats, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Left-wing activist groups have set up online databases to reveal photos of federal agents and publicize their names and locations.

On Monday, a federal judge handed California a humiliating defeat. Judge Christina A. Snyder of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ruled that the state’s so-called “No Secret Police Act”—which banned ICE agents from wearing masks during arrests—violates the Constitution. The law discriminated against federal officers by applying exclusively to them while conveniently exempting state law enforcement like the California Highway Patrol. More fundamentally, it ran headlong into the Supremacy Clause. States cannot obstruct federal functions. Period.

Here’s the kicker: Judge Snyder was appointed by President Clinton. Even a Clinton judge couldn’t stomach California’s constitutional overreach. That tells you everything about how badly Sacramento botched this one.

A Deliberate Attempt to Endanger Officers

Let’s be clear about what Governor Gavin Newsom signed last September. He knew full well the dangers ICE agents already faced. The Department of Homeland Security had publicly condemned the legislation as “a flagrant attempt to endanger” federal officers. The numbers are staggering—assaults on agents have skyrocketed by more than 1,000 percent. Death threats? Up approximately 8,000 percent. These aren’t abstract statistics. Real people are being hunted.

In cities like Minneapolis, so-called “ICE Watch” groups follow federal immigration agents to nearly every arrest location. They photograph officers, record their license plates, and broadcast their whereabouts to anyone paying attention. The goal couldn’t be more obvious: make these public servants so vulnerable that they cannot effectively do their jobs.

California has already witnessed where such hostility leads. Last summer, Los Angeles became ground zero for violent immigration riots. Mobs blocked major highways, set vehicles ablaze, and hurled concrete blocks at law enforcement officers. The chaos grew so severe that President Trump deployed 4,000 National Guard soldiers and 700 Marines to restore order. Sacramento’s response to this violence? Pass a law making federal agents more identifiable to the very people attacking them. Genius.

Democrats Point Fingers as Their Scheme Collapses

Nothing exposes the cynical nature of California’s legislation quite like the blame game that erupted after its defeat. State Senator Scott Wiener, the bill’s author, immediately claimed Governor Newsom’s office demanded the CHP exemption that ultimately doomed the law. The governor’s office fired back that Wiener “decided to unilaterally exempt state officers” all by himself.

Watching Democrats throw each other under the bus has a certain entertainment value. But the squabble reveals something important. California’s leadership knew from the start their law was constitutionally suspect. They carved out exemptions for state officers they wanted to protect while deliberately targeting federal agents they wished to expose. A Clinton-appointed judge saw through the charade in about five seconds.

First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli didn’t mince words: “States do not have the authority to regulate federal agents. Scott Wiener and California’s Governor tried to mislead the public by claiming they could prevent agents from wearing masks, making it easier to dox them.”

Then came the real gut punch. “Let this serve as a reminder that these politicians are willing to mislead you about what is actually lawful,” Essayli added. Ouch.

The Constitution Prevails

Judge Snyder’s ruling reaffirms a foundational principle that activist politicians hoped Americans had forgotten. The federal government’s constitutional authority cannot be undermined by state-level obstruction. Immigration enforcement is a federal function. California cannot hamstring those efforts simply because Sacramento disagrees with the policy.

Wiener has already announced plans to introduce new legislation expanding the mask ban to include state officers, hoping to cure the discrimination problem. Good luck with that. The Supremacy Clause issue isn’t going anywhere. California cannot burden federal functions, no matter how creatively they draft their bills.

For now, ICE agents can continue their critical work with at least some measure of protection from those who would do them harm. The Constitution held firm against California’s reckless political theater. Yet the lesson extends beyond a single court ruling. Americans who value law and order must remain vigilant against officials who prioritize ideology over the safety of those who serve. Sacramento lost this battle, but their war against federal immigration enforcement continues. They’ll be back with another scheme soon enough. Count on it.

Key Takeaways

• A federal judge blocked California’s “No Secret Police Act” for violating the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.
• ICE agents face a 1,000%+ increase in assaults and roughly 8,000% more death threats.
• California Democrats blamed each other after their legally flawed scheme collapsed in court.
• States cannot obstruct federal immigration enforcement, no matter how creatively they try.

Sources: Daily Wire, KCRA