LA County board votes to ban ICE from wearing masks

Los Angeles County’s progressive Board of Supervisors fired a political flare at Washington on Tuesday, voting 4–0 to outlaw masked ICE agents — a move that drew immediate fire from the Department of Homeland Security.

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin blasted the proposal as dangerous and unconstitutional, telling The Post that ICE officers mask up to shield themselves from increasing doxxing and violent threats.

“While ICE law enforcement officers face a 1,150% increase in assaults and an 8,000% increase in death threats, these Sanctuary politicians of Los Angeles County want to make it easier for violent political extremists to target our brave men and women,” McLaughlin said.

She warned that gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS-13 have gone after officers’ families and said the county is attempting to “violate the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.”

The board pressed ahead anyway, citing months of fury over ICE raids that began June 6, operations that swept up “at least 5,000 purportedly undocumented people” by Aug. 26, according to the motion supervisors adopted.

The five-woman board, which oversees a $5.2-billion budget and more than 10 million residents, includes its lone conservative, Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who abstained from the vote.

Chaos erupted in the chamber when protesters shouted, “Take ICE, not us!” and deputies cleared the room. After a brief recess, the board returned and approved the ordinance without changes.

At the heart of the measure is a sweeping ban on law-enforcement officers, local, state, or federal, concealing their faces or identities while interacting with the public in unincorporated LA County. The ordinance would also force officers to display visible ID and agency affiliation. Limited carve-outs remain for undercover work, SWAT operations, medical masks, and required safety gear.

Supervisors Janice Hahn and Lindsey Horvath, who authored the measure, argued that masked officers in tactical gear and plainclothes have been dragging people from homes and workplaces without identifying themselves, creating fear, confusion, and an opening for real criminals to impersonate federal agents.

County Counsel Dawyn R. Harrison warned the board that the ordinance will “most likely be challenged on the Supremacy Clause,” noting the federal government has already sued to block California’s statewide version.

The Supremacy Clause establishes that federal law takes precedence over state law.

The ordinance now heads to a second vote on Dec. 9. If approved again, it becomes law 30 days later.