Professor Johnson Talks to CBS News, L.A. Times About Bid to Ban ICE Masks

Professor Kevin R. Johnson spoke to CBS Evening News and Los Angeles Times about the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors’ vote to stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from the controversial practice of wearing masks to obscure their identities while conducting raids.

On July 28, supervisors a motion that could potentially ban federal enforcement officers from wearing masks in part of the county.

Johnson told CBS that bans on federal agents wearing masks likely will be fought in court.

“It’s going to be highly unlikely that any court will uphold a state or local law saying that ICE have to be unmasked,” Johnson said.

Johnson told the Times that he believes federal supremacy principles “require the federal government to have the authority to restrict its officers.”

Kevin R. Johnson is a distinguished professor of law, Mabie-Apallas Professor of Public Interest Law, and Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law. Johnson also has an appointment as professor of Chicana/o studies at UC Davis. He served as dean of UC Davis Law from 2008 to 2024. Johnson is an internationally recognized scholar in the fields of immigration law and policy, refugee law, and civil rights.