West
LAPD chief defies Newsom’s mask ban for federal immigration agents citing safety concerns
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The Los Angeles Police Department won’t enforce a California directive banning federal immigration agents from wearing masks or hiding their faces while conducting operations in the state.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell told Fox Los Angeles’ “Good Day LA” that his department will not enforce the directive from California Gov. Newsom.
From a tactical perspective, having officers cite federal authorities for what amounts to a misdemeanor could be unsafe, he said.
SWALWELL PROMISES IF ELECTED GOVERNOR, FORMER ICE AGENTS WOULD BE ‘UN-HIRABLE’ IN CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell and a masked ICE agent. On Friday, McDonnell said the LAPD won’t enforce a statewide law that prohibits federal agents from wearing masks while conducting official business. (Getty Images)
“From a practical standpoint, our role when we get to a scene is to de-escalate the situation, not to ramp it up,” McDonnell said. “Trying to enforce a misdemeanor violation on another law enforcement agency, that’s not going to end well. And that’s not going to be good.”
“From a public safety standpoint for anybody in that environment. Potentially you have a crowd that could be agitated and trying to get their point across,” he added. “And then you have the ICE agents who are doing their job. And for us to come in then and try and create an enforcement action for wearing a mask, it’s not a safe way to do business.”
In September 2025, Newsom signed a bill into law banning law enforcement from wearing face coverings while conducting official business across the state.
The bill makes it a misdemeanor crime for local, state or federal law enforcement to wear masks or personal disguises during their duties, unless an officer is undercover or performing a tactical operation that requires protective gear.
BLOCKING ICE COOPERATION FUELED MINNESOTA UNREST, OFFICIALS WARN AS VIRGINIA REVERSES COURSE
California Gov. Gavin Newsom looks on during a bill signing event related to redrawing the state’s congressional maps on Aug. 21, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
“What are you afraid of?” Newsom said as he signed the legislation into law.
The Trump administration has sued over the law.
“The federal government has sued to stop the state from enforcing this law,” a spokesperson for Newsom’s office told Fox News Digital. “We are defending the law in court which would go in effect on July 1.”
Critics of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration have cited masked ICE agents as a public safety risk, accusing them of trying to shield their identities from being leaked.
Authorities said ICE agents have masked up to avoid doxxing and threats to them and their families from the public.
The ban came after a series of immigration raids in and around Los Angeles, where federal agents were spotted wearing masks. At the time, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said federal agents are already required to identify themselves and wear clothing that designates they are with ICE or Homeland Security markers during operations.
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer with other officials. (Getty Images)
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Fox News Digital has reached out to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Bass criticized ICE’s mask policy following raids in Los Angeles last summer.
“When the raids started, fear spread,” Bass said in an interview last year with ABC News. “The masked men in unmarked cars, no license plate, no real uniforms, jumping out of cars with rifles and snatching people off the street, leading a lot of people to think maybe kidnappings were taking place.”
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San Francisco, CA
How to watch San Francisco Giants vs. Miami Marlins
The San Francisco Giants are headed even farther south today as they begin a weekend road series against the Miami Marlins.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be noted bigot Landen Roupp. Roupp enters today’s game with a 4.24 ERA, 2.96 FIP, with 82 strikeouts to 32 walks in 74.1 innings pitched. His last start was in Friday night’s 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs, in which Roupp clearly cared more about proselytizing than he did about winning, allowing four runs on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks in four and two thirds innings.
As of the time this is being written on Thursday, the Marlins have not announced a starting pitcher for today’s game and I am off today (Happy Juneteenth!). But you can head on down to the comments for the most up to date information.
Who: San Francisco Giants vs. Miami Marlins
Where: loanDepot park, Miami, Florida
Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM
Denver, CO
Man arrested on suspicion of murder in Denver shooting near South Park Hill, Hale
Denver police arrested a 35-year-old man on suspicion of first-degree murder in a fatal shooting near East Colfax Avenue and North Dahlia Street.
Joseph York was arrested Thursday after detectives identified him as a suspect through interviews and surveillance video, the Denver Police Department said in a news release Friday.
Detectives believe York was arguing with the victim, 25-year-old Elijah Barr, before the shooting in the early hours of June 7, the Denver Police Department said in a news release Friday. The intersection is between the city’s South Park Hill and Hale neighborhoods.
Barr was found with multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
York is being held without bail in the Downtown Detention Center and is set to appear in Denver County Court on Saturday, jail records show.
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Seattle, WA
Seattle fans pack waterfront hours early as USA defeats Australia, advances in World Cup
SEATTLE — Soccer fans descended on Seattle’s waterfront well before kickoff Friday, staking out their spots early to watch a highly anticipated World Cup matchup at Seattle Stadium between the United States and Australia. That patience paid off as Team USA won the match and now advances to the knockout round.
The atmosphere at Pier 62 was electric from the start, with fans lining up for prime viewing positions, whether down on the water’s edge or taking in the sweeping scene from the waterfront overlook above.
“I mean, look at all these people that are here hours beforehand to celebrate this incredible game,” said Paul Hanson, who was rooting for Team USA. “The hairs are going up on the arm.”
The energy was a draw in itself.
“The energy is amazing, everyone’s in a great mood, it’s just a lot of fun to be down here,” Maggie McNeil said.
Not everyone in the crowd was wearing red, white, and blue.
Lizzie Manning hails from Melbourne, Australia, and is now living in the Pacific Northwest.
Manning told KOMO News she hasn’t been back home in nearly a decade, but taking in the U.S.A-Australia match with the waterfront crowd gave her a taste of it.
“Whenever I see another Australian I’m like, ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie, oy oy oy,’” she said. “I feel so close to home. I need a meat pie, life’s good.”
“I’ve met so many people who are visiting from other countries,” Seattle resident Maddie Chaplain said. “I sat next to a couple yesterday who was eating dumplings for the first time from Argentina, that was so awesome.”
With Team USA advancing, fans like Aaron Olson say they’ll be back for more.
“USA’s gonna win it,” Olson said. “I will come down here every game. This is spectacular.”
The World Cup watch parties continue on Pier 62 throughout the tournament. They are free and open to the public with online registration, but capacity is limited.
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