FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, JANUARY 9, 2026, LOS ANGELES, CA–On December 29, 2025, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) filed an amicus brief in the Central District Court of California in support of the State of California’s position in United States v. California, defending SB 627 (the No Secret Police Act) and SB 805 (the No Vigilantes Act) (the Acts). The Acts prohibit all law enforcement officers from concealing their identities and prohibit non-officers from impersonating law enforcement. AJSOCAL filed the amicus brief in conjunction with Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) and Bird Marella, Rhow, Lincenberg, Drooks & Nessim, LLP (Bird Marella).
California’s legislature and the Governor’s office enacted the Acts in response to the use of masks and hiding of officer insignia during the expanded Federal immigration raids that began in Spring 2025. The raids were a radical departure from all past law enforcement practice in the United States, because the officers were permitted and seemingly encouraged by their chain of command to hide their identities. This practice, previously exceptional in the United States, added to the traumas faced by immigrant communities. People with limited English proficiency and hearing impairments depend on facial expressions, lip-reading, and the existence of uniforms, badges, and other proof of authority to communicate with law enforcement. People with past trauma from trafficking and vigilante violence, who make up an especially large portion of our immigrant population, had no idea whether they were being detained by authorized law enforcement or by criminal gangs. The use of masks and the hiding of insignia kept these community members from knowing if officers were speaking to them, what was being said, and what degree of danger existed. AJSOCAL, SALDEF, and Bird Marella collected some of their stories, so that these could be better understood by the District Court as it weighs the United States’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction.
“AJSOCAL believes that, in order to be legitimate, law enforcement must be performed in public, by known officers who can be held accountable for their actions. Masks interfere with language comprehension and stoke confusion during interactions that are already frightening. DHS raids by masked ICE and CBP agents, including the ICE agent who shot to death unarmed mother Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis earlier this week, appear calculated to sow fear and ultimately submission among our neighbors. We do not accept this. Masked policing is beneath the dignity of free people everywhere, and California’s SB 627 and SB 805 say so. State and Federal law enforcement officers are public servants and withholding identity does not serve the community. It is harmful and unjust,” Sean F. Bigley, Director of Litigation, AJSOCAL.
Read community member experiences in the full amicus brief here.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) is the nation’s largest legal and civil rights organization for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). Founded in 1983, AJSOCAL supports over 15,000 individuals and organizations annually. By offering free legal help, engaging in impact litigation, conducting crucial research, and advocating for policy change, AJSOCAL prioritizes the most vulnerable members of AAPI communities while fostering a robust advocacy for civil rights and social justice. Offices are in downtown Los Angeles and Orange County, with satellite offices in Sacramento, ensuring accessibility for all. www.AJSOCAL.org
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Liana Liang, (213) 977-7500 x237, lliang@ajsocal.org
Liza Ameen, (213) 241-0258, lameen@ajsocal.org