A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked Philadelphia from enforcing a law that restricted law enforcement officers’ use of masks, concealed identification, and unmarked vehicles against federal officers.

Background

The law, which was approved earlier this year, applied to local, state, and federal law enforcement officers. However, Thursday’s injunction blocked Philadelphia from enforcing it against federal officers. The statute would have banned covered officers from wearing masks or shielding their identities while on duty and interacting with the public, with exceptions including medical masks, religious coverings, certain tactical equipment, and hazardous conditions.

U.S. District Judge Chad Kenney ruled that the city cannot determine how federal officers conduct operations, siding with the Justice Department, which sued last month and argued the measure was a ‘blatantly unconstitutional’ attempt to regulate federal agents. The judge cited the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which establishes that federal law preempts state and local law in cases of conflict.

Reaction

The Justice Department praised the court’s ruling and said the department ‘will keep fighting jurisdictions that try to obstruct President Trump’s immigration enforcement with policies that endanger agents and public safety.’ Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, a Democrat, declined to sign the bill, saying the city solicitor’s office informed her it presented significant legal problems.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.