Sponsors (8)
The bill strengthens protections for immigration officers by deterring and penalizing close‑range harassment, but does so with broad, vague language that risks criminalizing lawful observers and protests and increases enforcement costs for governments and taxpayers.
Federal immigration enforcement officers experience reduced close‑proximity interference and threats, improving on‑the‑job safety and operational security.
New criminal prohibitions against repeated or harassing conduct create a deterrent against targeted, repeated harassment of immigration officers.
Vague and broad definitions of intent and 'harass' risk criminalizing lawful protest, journalism, legal observers, volunteers, and others who are near immigration officers, including disproportionate impacts on people with disabilities who may inadvertently cause alleged emotional distress.
Members of the public who approach or protest near immigration officers could face felony charges and up to 5 years' imprisonment, increasing the risk of criminalization for civil observers and bystanders.
Creating a federal criminal offense shifts enforcement and prosecution burdens to federal prosecutors and local court systems, raising prosecution, incarceration, and taxpayer costs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a federal crime for knowingly approaching or remaining within 25 feet of a federal immigration enforcement officer after a warning with intent to impede, threaten, or harass, punishable by up to 5 years prison and/or a fine.
Official title: To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a criminal penalty for obstructing immigration enforcement activities.
Introduced March 5, 2026 by Michael A. Rulli · Last progress March 5, 2026
Creates a new federal crime making it illegal to ignore a verbal warning and approach or remain within 25 feet of a federal immigration enforcement officer who is lawfully performing duties, when the person knows or reasonably should know the officer is an enforcement officer and intends to impede, threaten, or harass them. Violations carry a fine, up to 5 years imprisonment, or both; the bill adds the new offense as 18 U.S.C. 1522.