California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest attempt to restrict federal immigration enforcement has suffered a major legal setback after a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously blocked the state’s controversial No Vigilantes Act.
The Oct. 14 ruling handed the Trump administration a significant victory in its ongoing battle with California over Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
At the center of the dispute was a state law requiring plainclothes federal law enforcement officers to visibly display identification while carrying out official duties in California.
Federal agents who failed to comply could have faced criminal prosecution under state law.
But the appeals court determined that California had crossed a constitutional line by attempting to regulate federal officers performing federal duties.
The ruling relied heavily on the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which establishes that federal law takes precedence over conflicting state requirements.
The judges cited the principle of intergovernmental immunity, which generally prevents states from directly controlling federal operations.
California argued that its identification requirement was permissible because it did not significantly interfere with federal law enforcement.
BREAKING — The 9th Circuit has BLOCKED Gavin Newsom’s “No Vigilantes Act,” ruling that California cannot force federal agents to identify themselves on the job.
The law would have allowed the state to criminally prosecute federal officers who did not visibly display ID.
The court issued a preliminary injunction barring California, Newsom, and his attorney general from enforcing it against federal agents.
The judges cited the Supremacy Clause and stated that states “may not directly regulate the Federal Government’s operations.” ICE operations continue without the state-level identification requirement.
— The Patriot Oasis(@ThePatriotOasis) October 14, 2026
The court rejected that reasoning, concluding that states cannot directly regulate federal activities simply because the restrictions might impose only a limited burden.
The decision represents another setback for Newsom, whose administration has repeatedly clashed with President Donald Trump over immigration enforcement.
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Gavin Newsom has criticized federal immigration operations and compared certain enforcement tactics to the “secret police” of an “authoritarian” state.
However, the federal appeals court’s ruling focused on constitutional limits governing state interference with federal agencies, not the broader political debate surrounding ICE.
The panel pointed to longstanding Supreme Court precedent, including the landmark 1819 decision in McCulloch v. Maryland.
That ruling established important limits on the ability of states to interfere with the federal government’s constitutional responsibilities.
The judges also referenced the Supreme Court’s 1890 decision in In re Neagle, another case originating in California.
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That dispute involved U.S. Marshal David Neagle, who fatally shot former California Supreme Court Chief Justice David Terry while protecting Supreme Court Justice Stephen Field from an attack.
California attempted to prosecute Neagle, but the Supreme Court upheld protections for federal officers acting within their lawful responsibilities.
The precedent remains relevant more than a century later as federal authorities challenge California’s attempts to impose criminal penalties on immigration agents.
The No Vigilantes Act is not the only California measure facing constitutional challenges.
A separate law, known as the No Secret Police Act, was previously blocked by a lower court.
That measure sought to criminalize certain facial coverings worn by federal agents during enforcement operations.
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Supporters of the restrictions have argued that identification requirements and limitations on masks promote accountability and transparency.
Federal officials and critics of the laws, however, contend that such measures interfere with immigration enforcement and could create additional safety concerns for agents.
The legal defeats highlight the continuing struggle between California‘s Democratic leadership and the Trump administration over the boundaries of state and federal authority.
For now, the unanimous appellate ruling prevents California from enforcing the challenged identification requirement against federal officers.
The decision does not eliminate every possible state oversight measure, but it reinforces a longstanding constitutional restriction on states directly regulating federal law enforcement operations.
Newsom’s administration has made opposition to Trump’s immigration policies a prominent political issue. The latest court decision demonstrates the legal obstacles California faces when that opposition takes the form of restrictions on federal agents.
With the No Vigilantes Act blocked and the separate mask restriction already facing a court injunction, California’s efforts to impose additional requirements on ICE officers have encountered substantial judicial resistance.
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[ H/T Trending Politics ]
