9th Circuit Blocks California Officer ID Law

A federal appeals court on Wednesday blocked a California law requiring law enforcement officers, including federal immigration agents, to display visible identification while operating in the state. The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals came in response to a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration, which argued the measure unconstitutionally interferes with federal operations.

The law, known as the No Vigilantes Act and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2025, mandates that nonuniformed officers visibly show badges or other forms of identification. It emerged amid heightened immigration enforcement in areas like Los Angeles, where federal agents increased activities last summer. The administration's November lawsuit contended that the requirement endangers officers amid rising incidents of harassment, doxing and violence, and violates the Constitution's Supremacy Clause by allowing a state to regulate federal government functions.

During a March 3 hearing, Justice Department attorneys emphasized that the law directly targets federal authority. The appeals court agreed in its opinion, written by Judge Mark J. Bennett, stating that the measure...