ICE Agents Can Wear Masks in New York, Federal Judge Rules

U.S. District Judge Mae D'Agostino issued a preliminary injunction on August 4 blocking New York's new law banning law enforcement officers, including ICE agents, from wearing masks while on duty, ruling that the state's face-covering and officer-ID requirements "directly regulate federal officers in violation of the supremacy clause." The federal government had sued to stop the law, which took effect in late June. D'Agostino's 51-page ruling left standing the state's new prohibition on 287(g) cooperation agreements between local police departments and ICE; the offices of Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James said they were reviewing legal options.