The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the City of Philadelphia over a newly enacted local law that seeks to ban law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings, using unmarked vehicles, and withholding personal identifiers while on duty.

Background

The law, known as Philadelphia Bill No. 260060, was passed by the City Council on April 23 and became law on May 8 without the mayor’s signature. The Department of Justice argues that the ordinance is a direct violation of the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prevents local and state governments from regulating federal operations.

Federal officials also state that the law creates immediate safety hazards for agents. According to the complaint, online agitators and criminal organizations increasingly use facial recognition software and photographs from field operations to match agents’ faces to social media profiles and doxxing websites.

Response from City Officials

City Solicitor Renee Garcia previously advised the mayor’s office against signing the bill, noting that it posed ‘significant legal problems, primarily concerning the authority of the City to regulate the conduct of federal officers when carrying out their duties under federal law.’ Despite those internal legal concerns, Philadelphia District Attorney Lawrence Krasner has publicly committed to enforcing state and local laws against federal personnel.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.