Judge rules New York can’t ban federal agents from wearing face coverings
NEW YORK (AP) — New York can’t ban federal agents from wearing face coverings or require that they wear visible identification, a federal judge ruled Monday. The ruling comes after a federal judge earlier this year blocked…
A federal judge has ruled that New York cannot ban federal agents from wearing face coverings or require them to wear visible identification, according to legal materials obtained by The Associated Press. The decision, made by U.S. District Judge Mae D’Agostino, came after the Northern District of New York previously blocked a similar law in California.
The judge emphasized that while New York's intention was to promote transparent policing, the constitutional issue at hand is whether the measures comply with the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits state governments from regulating federal law enforcement. The ruling specifically pertains to a set of law enforcement policies included in New York's state budget bill signed by Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul in May.
Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James expressed their commitment to their stance, stating that they remain firm in believing that masked agents do not enhance state safety. The measures, which took effect in June, were part of the broader set of policies enacted by New York. California had previously become the first state to impose a similar ban in September following a series of high-profile immigration raids in Los Angeles.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
