(José Niño, Headline USA) During a Wednesday appearance on MS NOW, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-CA, issued a stark warning to federal immigration enforcement personnel: reveal your identity or lose your ability to drive legally in the state.
The congressman, currently vying for California’s governorship in the November election, announced he would leverage the state’s licensing authority to crack down on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who wear face coverings during operations.
“If the president is going to send ICE agents to chase immigrants through the fields where they work, what I’m going to do is make them take off their masks and show their faces, show their identification, and if they commit crimes, that they’re going to be charged with crimes,” Swalwell declared.
He continued: “If the governor has the ability to issue driver’s licenses to people in California, if you’re going to wear a mask and not identify yourself, you’re not going to be eligible to drive a vehicle in California.”
The proposal emerges amid ongoing legal battles over California’s attempt to prohibit law enforcement officers from concealing their faces. Just the News reported that Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation last September that would have banned such practices, with the law scheduled to take effect this Thursday. However, the Trump administration filed suit against the measure, securing a temporary hold on its implementation.
The Department of Homeland Security has flatly refused to comply with California’s mandate. Republican critics maintain that federal immigration agents require facial concealment to protect against doxxing and potential retaliation. Constitutional scholars have also questioned whether states possess the authority to regulate federal law enforcement operations.
Swalwell faces a crowded field of prominent Democrats competing to succeed the term-limited Newsom. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and former Representative Katie Porter are both seeking their party’s nomination. On the Republican side, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has emerged as the leading candidate.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
