The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sued St. Paul, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon, on Thursday, arguing their rules on federal officers’ identification and face coverings intrude on federal authority. The separate cases, filed Oct. 15, ask judges to prevent the cities from applying the requirements to federal personnel. DOJ says the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause limits local control over federal operations.
In St. Paul, one ordinance requires officers working in the city to show their agency and either a name or badge number. Another restricts face coverings that conceal identity, with exceptions. The complaint says knowing violations can bring misdemeanor charges, a fine, imprisonment or both. The identification rule took effect March 14, 2026, and the face-covering measure took effect March 22.
Portland’s code, effective June 26, 2026, requires visible badges and an identifying number or name tag, and officers must carry agency identification. It also restricts deliberate facial concealment, subject to exceptions. Violations are not criminal offenses under the code; enforcement may be administrative, supervisory, employment-related or civil.
The St. Paul complaint cites U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data showing that its Office of Professional Responsibility investigated 39 Minnesota cases involving threats or doxxing of ICE employees from January 2025 through March 2026. The complaint says 36 involved doxxing and three involved threats, together representing about 28% of the office’s nationwide investigations into those categories. Those figures are cited by DOJ in support of its case.
St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her has presented identification requirements as an accountability measure, saying, “Transparency is essential to accountability—and accountability is essential to protecting the rights and safety of our community.” Portland’s ordinance findings cite public concerns about masked people claiming to be law enforcement officers and say visible identification supports public trust.
Before suing Portland, DOJ sought assurances on Oct. 9 that the city would not apply its ordinance to federal officers. Portland City Attorney Robert Taylor replied Oct. 12 that legal concerns could be raised in a civil proceeding seeking an injunction, the complaint says. The complaints cite earlier federal court decisions involving California, Virginia, Philadelphia and New York. No hearing date or court ruling was identified.
