Trump administration sues Philadelphia over 'ICE Out' face mask ban for law enforcement

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Updated June 18, 2026, 6:39 p.m. ET | Published June 18, 2026, 3:03 p.m. ET


President Donald Trump’s administration sued Philadelphia and some of its top officials Thursday over a new ordinance that bars law enforcement officers from concealing their identities and effectively bans federal immigration agents from wearing masks.

The law, part of City Council’s recently adopted “ICE Out” package of legislation imposing some of the nation’s toughest local restrictions on immigration agents, is “blatantly unconstitutional,” the lawsuit said. “Such an ordinance also undermines the principles of federalism that underlie our entire constitutional order by seeking to prevent effective federal law enforcement within Philadelphia,” according to the complaint.

The ordinance makes it a crime for any law enforcement officer, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, to wear face coverings or conceal personal identifiers like badges and nameplates while carrying out their official duties in the city, and it requires officers to identify themselves. It also prohibits the use of unmarked vehicles.

The bill includes exceptions allowing officers to wear masks in certain circumstances, such as medical emergencies or SWAT operations. An officer who violates the ordinance could be prosecuted, and risks up to 90 days in jail plus a fine.

Read more: https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/trump-philadelphia-lawsuit-ice-out-ordinance-facemask-ban-20260618.html