New York State’s continuing quest to kneecap efforts by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in dealing with the illegal alien crisis that former President Joe Biden brought us took a big blow Monday when a federal judge said the state did not have the conditional authority to order a mask ban for federal agents.
The ruling did also say, however, that the state could ban masks for its own law enforcement agents and continue to refuse to cooperate with ICE.
The agency has argued repeatedly that agents have been subject to violence, threats, and doxing as the Democrats’ anti-ICE rhetoric has maintained a fever pitch since Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office.
Empire State Gov. and illegal immigrant enabler Kathy Hochul will not be pleased:
A federal judge has struck down a New York law prohibiting federal officers from wearing masks, a setback for the state’s efforts to stop a notorious aspect of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement campaign.
The Constitution’s Supremacy Clause does not allow New York to regulate federal law enforcement activities, District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino said in a ruling Monday.
Ah, the old Supremacy Clause — Article VI, Clause 2 in the United States Constitution, which the Democrats have continually pretended doesn’t exist in their efforts to “resist” Trump and his agenda. Let’s let the Founders themselves explain it:
“This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.”
Listen, I didn’t even go to law school, but that seems pretty self-explanatory to me. Although the state can tell local law enforcement how to act, they have no such jurisdiction over the feds, Judge D’Agostino ruled.
“New York cannot impose its own uniform requirements on federal agents simply because it disagrees with how the Federal Government is exercising its authority,” D’Agostino wrote.
MORE: Big Win for Trump Administration: 9th Circuit Puts the Kibosh on Key Section of CA Anti-ICE Law
See You in Court: DOJ Coming After Spanberger Over Virginia's 'Unconstitutional' Anti-ICE Laws
It’s another win on the issue for President Trump, and another big setback for anti-ICE Democrats:
The decision is a victory for the Trump administration, which has successfully challenged similar laws attempting to force Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to stop wearing masks and display their badges while making arrests.
A federal judge blocked a similar mask ban in California, and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals went on to block the state’s law requiring federal officers to wear visible badge numbers and names. The administration has also challenged similar laws in Connecticut, New Jersey, Virginia and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Warning, profanity in this video from independent journalist Nick Sortor:
🚨 BREAKING: A federal judge has just BLOCKED Kathy Hochul’s law banning ICE agents from wearing masks from going into effect
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 3, 2026
That’s GREAT news, as just WEEKS ago, I caught a rioter on video telling an agent “I HAVE YOUR FACE MOTHERF***ER. YOU’RE DEAD!”
These deranged people… pic.twitter.com/KEaXF4ZTk6
Here is the rest of the above tweet:
🚨 BREAKING: A federal judge has just BLOCKED Kathy Hochul’s law banning ICE agents from wearing masks from going into effect
That’s GREAT news, as just WEEKS ago, I caught a rioter on video telling an agent “I HAVE YOUR FACE MOTHERF***ER. YOU’RE DEAD!”
These deranged people are VlOLENT and WILL attempt to follow through with their threats.
ICE agents MUST be protected.
Besides, Hochul KNEW her law was unconstitutional, but pushed it anyway
Democrats are con artists.
Con artists, and, at least for the time being, losers.
Editor’s Note: Democrats are fanning the flames and raising the rhetoric by comparing ICE to the Gestapo, fascists, and secret police.
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