Newsom justifies ‘No Secret Police’ bill prohibiting ICE agents from wearing masks

SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Before signing the “No Secret Police” bill over the weekend, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the legislation would reduce the number of ICE raids in the state.

During a news conference before he officially signed the bill into law, Newsom rhetorically asked “ICE, unmask, what are you afraid of?”

The bill prohibits Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from wearing most masks during raids and other operations throughout California.

The mandate applies to most law enforcement in the state.

“This is about the secret police,” Newsom said. “We’re not North Korea Mr. President, we’re not the Soviet Union, we’re the United States of America, and we’re pushing back against these authoritarian tendencies and actions of this administration.”

ICE and the Department of Homeland Security are pushing back calling the bill a “disgusting, diabolical fundraising PR stunt.”

Newsom insists the bill is needed to reduce ICE operations in the state and across the country, saying raids are out of “dystopian sci-fi movie.”

“Unmarked cars, people in masks, people literally disappearing without due process, no rights in a democracy where we have rights, and we have the right to push back to stand up and push back and that’s what we’re doing.”

Through and statement, the ICE office in San Diego said this is not about secrecy but safety for the agents and that’s why they will not abide by the law, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026.