Swalwell threatens to revoke driver's licenses of masked ICE agents operating in California

The California gubernatorial candidate said federal immigration officers who wear masks won't be eligible to drive in state

By Louis Casiano Fox News
Published January 2, 2026 5:36pm EST

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Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California., on Wednesday promised to revoke the driver's license of federal immigration agents who wear masks.
Swalwell, who is running for governor, appeared on MS NOW where he was asked about what he brings to the table as leader of the state.
In response, Swalwell said one of the governor's duties is to protect the state's most vulnerable populations.

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Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., was mocked on X this week after posting a video of himself lifting weights while trashing Republicans. (Getty)

"If the president is going to send ICE agents to chase immigrants through the fields where they work, what I'm going to is make them take off their masks and show their faces, that they show their identification, and if they commit crimes, that they're going to be charged with crimes," he said.
"If the governor has the ability to issue driver’s licenses to people in California, if you’re going to wear a mask and not identify yourself, you’re not going to be eligible to drive a vehicle in California," Swalwell added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The White House noted that California has issued driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, some of whom have been involved in deadly collisions.
"Fang Fang’s former lover wants to give drivers licenses to criminal illegal aliens and simultaneously punish law enforcement officers for enforcing the law?" White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital, referencing Swalwell's connection to alleged Chinese spy, Christine Fang, who worked on his congressional campaign and targeted up-and-coming politicians in California.
What an absolute clown."
A California law banning ICE officers from wearing masks while conducting operations was supposed to go into effect on Thursday.
The Department of Homeland Security has vowed not to comply with the measure and the Trump administration is suing the state over the issue. The law is on hold and a hearing is scheduled for Jan. 12.

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Residents confront federal agents and Border Patrol agents over their presence in their neighborhood on Atlantic Blvd. in the Los Angeles suburb of Bell. California last year passed a law banning authorities from wearing masks. (Getty Images)

Critics of the immigration operations argue that masked agents pose a danger to communities and could result in brutal law enforcement tactics while failing to hold authorities accountable.
Federal authorities have said that ICE and other immigration officers have faced death threats, as well as their families, and doxxing.
On Friday, Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, said the state doesn't have the authority to regulate federal authorities.
"In the meantime, California has agreed to put the law on hold and not enforce its unconstitutional mask ban, which is designed to allow radical leftists to dox federal agents enforcing immigration laws," he wrote on X.

Eric Swalwell Pledges to Revoke Licenses of Masked ICE Agents if Governor | Fox News