At Campos Law Firm, we closely monitor developments in U.S. immigration policy to protect our clients’ rights and future. On October 1, 2026, the same day Maryland’s law banning law enforcement officers from covering their faces took effect, the Justice Department sued the state and two counties to stop it from being enforced.
The question reaching our office is not legal but practical: if an officer shows up with their face covered, can you demand anything? Here is what is known, what is not, and what you can do.
What does the Maryland law require?
The law is Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) and it took effect on October 1, 2026. It directs the state police training commission to set uniform policies carrying two obligations.
- Faces uncovered: officers may not wear masks while carrying out official duties.
- Visible identification: they must display their agency, last name, and badge number.
- Exceptions: undercover operations, face shields, medical masks, gas masks, and safety equipment, plus weather or health situations.
- Penalty: it is a civil violation, with fines up to $1,500.
Two local ordinances from April 2026 sit alongside it: Montgomery County’s, known as the “Unmask ICE Act,” and an equivalent measure in Prince George’s County.
One drafting choice explains the litigation: Maryland wrote the law to reach all law enforcement in the state — local, state, and federal — rather than federal agents alone.
Why did the federal government sue?
The Justice Department filed in the federal district court in Maryland. Its argument is constitutional: a state cannot regulate how federal agents equip or identify themselves while performing their duties, invoking the Supremacy Clause and the intergovernmental immunity doctrine.
In its announcement, the department said Maryland set out to “directly regulate federal law enforcement officers” and to penalize them for complying with federal law. It also argued the restrictions endanger officers.
Maryland defends the law as a transparency measure. State Senate President Bill Ferguson said the state “anticipated potential legal challenges” and stands behind the law’s intent. Governor Wes Moore’s office pointed to transparency and due process.
There is a precedent worth knowing: California passed a similar law in 2025 and a federal court halted its enforcement, finding it improperly targeted federal officers. That is precisely why Maryland drafted its version broadly. State Attorney General Anthony Brown had warned before passage that there was a “high likelihood” a court would find a Supremacy Clause violation as applied to federal officers.
Can you require an officer to identify themselves?
Here we have to be candid, because the short answer is not the one many expect.
- A state law does not, by itself, give you a right to resist. Even with the law in force, refusing to comply or physically interfering can earn you a new charge. That argument is won later, on paper.
- While the case is open, how it applies to federal agents is uncertain. The lawsuit is about exactly whether it can bind them.
- What is in your hands is documenting. Asking calmly for identification and recording what happens is what carries weight afterward.
- The difference between orders still matters most: an ICE administrative warrant, Form I-200, is signed by a supervisor within the agency and does not authorize entry into your home. A judicial warrant is signed by a judge and names a court.
What should you do during an enforcement action?
- Ask calmly, without interfering: agency name, last name, badge number. If they do not answer, write that down.
- Ask to see the document and note whether it says “warrant,” who signed it, and what address appears on it.
- Record from a safe distance: in a public space you may. Do not interfere.
- Note everything else: date, time, exact address, number of officers, vehicle plates, whether faces were covered.
- Do not sign anything you do not understand, and do not accept voluntary departure without talking to an attorney.
- Call your attorney the same day and leave their number with a relative.
Protect Your Immigration Status with Campos Law Firm
Laws like Maryland’s get decided in court over months, but enforcement actions happen today. What actually changes a file is what got documented: who acted, how they identified themselves, and what paper they showed. At Campos Law Firm, we build the defense on that material. We do not make unrealistic promises. We provide serious legal representation backed by preparation and integrity.
Do not leave your immigration status to chance. Call us today at +1 (844) 922-6767 to schedule a free, confidential consultation in English or Spanish. Campos Law Firm: Legal Solutions in All Areas of Law.
