Overview
- The Justice Department filed the case in U.S. District Court in New Jersey on Wednesday, asking a judge to strike down the Law Enforcement Officer Protection Act and block its enforcement.
- The New Jersey statute bars most officers from wearing face coverings during routine duties and requires them to identify themselves before arrests or detentions, with exceptions for undercover work and credible threats.
- The DOJ argues the law unconstitutionally regulates federal officers and endangers agent safety, and the complaint says the federal government will not comply with the statute.
- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport defended the law as a measure that protects both officers and the public by curbing anonymous policing and pledged to fight the challenge in court.
- The lawsuit follows similar federal pushback to state limits on immigration enforcement, including a California mask ban that a judge blocked, signaling a broader preemption fight over state authority.