United States of America v. State of California

On December 23, 2025, the National Immigration Law Center, along with the Center for Policing Equity and the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School, submitted an amicus brief in United States of America v. State of California, a case brought by the U.S. Department of Justice challenging the constitutionality of California’s laws that ban law enforcement from wearing masks and require that officers identify themselves.

The brief, filed in support of California, focuses on procedural justice and the importance of law enforcement officers identifying themselves for safe, effective, community-based policing. We noted that California’s laws were not inconsistent with federal policies and regulations governing law enforcement identification.