A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has intervened to stop California’s “No Vigilantes Act” from being enforced against federal law enforcement personnel.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed this law to enhance identification for non-uniformed officers, directly targeting federal agents like those from ICE during immigration enforcement. Advocates promoted it as a way to expose such agents during their operations.
The U.S. Department of Justice initiated legal action on November 17, 2025, challenging this identification mandate, asserting it violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution. Originally, U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder denied the federal government’s push for a preliminary injunction against the law’s requirements.
However, she did block enforcement of certain provisions of the related No Secret Police Act, which she said unfairly discriminated against federal officers. In its April 22 opinion, the appeals court, led by Circuit Judge Mark J. Bennett, indicated that the federal government stands a strong chance of winning its case.
Supremacy Clause Concerns
The court concluded that Section 10 of the law infringes on federal officers’ rights, contradicting intergovernmental immunity that stops states from regulating federal entities performing their governmental duties.
The ruling noted that this law “seeks to directly regulate the United States in its execution of governmental functions” by stipulating how federal officers must present their credentials. It referenced historic cases such as Johnson v. Maryland and Mayo v. United States, affirming that states cannot impose extra qualifications on federal officials.
Implications for Law Enforcement
The panel emphasized that the law applies specifically to law enforcement activities, rather than actions that regular citizens could undertake. The Ninth Circuit’s decision also criticized the lower court’s emphasis on the level of interference, stating that any direct regulation of federal operations is unacceptable, regardless of scope.
This ruling enjoins Governor Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and the state from enforcing Section 10 against federal agencies and officers, with enforcement on hold as the appeals process continues, likely extending for several months.
