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Denver Approves Mask Ban and ID Rule for Law Enforcement After Unanimous Vote

DHS labels the ordinance unconstitutional, citing a recent ruling against a similar California law.

Overview

  • Denver’s measure bars officers from covering their faces during detentions or arrests and requires visible identification readable from about 25 feet.
  • Exemptions cover undercover work, SWAT or other tactical responses, required safety gear, and emergency operations.
  • DHS said agents will not comply, invoking the Supremacy Clause and pointing to sharp increases in assaults and doxxing threats against immigration officers.
  • Mayor Mike Johnston plans to sign the ordinance this week, following his executive order restricting ICE use of city property without a judicial warrant.
  • Washington state advanced a comparable bill to the governor that would prohibit most masked public interactions by officers and create a civil right to sue, with an emergency clause for immediate effect if signed.