The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has struck a significant blow to California’s ability to protect its own communities.

It blocked a state law that required federal immigration agents to visibly display their identification and barred them from wearing masks.

The ruling effectively codifies the right of federal officers to operate anonymously. It strips away state sovereignty under the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.

This comes even as the FBI issues dire warnings that this very anonymity is enabling violent criminals to terrorize the public.