Sponsors (4)
Introduced June 4, 2025 by Marsha Blackburn · Last progress June 4, 2025
The bill strengthens protections for federal law enforcement and investigations by criminalizing doxxing, but expands federal criminal liability in ways that risk chilling speech, increasing prosecutions, and adding burdens to the justice system.
Federal law enforcement officers and federal investigations are better protected because the bill criminalizes doxxing of officers, reducing risks to officers' safety and interference with investigations.
Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors gain a clearer deterrent (criminal penalties including fines and up to 5 years imprisonment) against obstructive disclosures, which may reduce intentional interference with official duties.
Journalists, activists, community watchdogs, and people (including immigrants) who publish or share names face felony exposure and up to 5 years in prison, which increases legal risk and could chill lawful speech and public accountability if intent is difficult to disprove.
Taxpayers, federal courts, prosecutors, and defendants may face higher burdens and costs because expanding federal offenses can increase prosecutions, pretrial detention, and court workload (and could interact with other federal statutes through conforming amendments).
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Makes it a federal crime to publicly post a federal law enforcement officer's name with intent to obstruct a criminal or immigration investigation, punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment and/or a fine.
Creates a new federal crime making it illegal to publicly post the name of a federal law enforcement officer when done with the intent to obstruct a criminal investigation or an immigration enforcement operation. The measure defines "federal law enforcement officer" broadly to include U.S. officers, agents, or employees authorized to engage in or supervise criminal or immigration enforcement, and sets penalties of a fine, up to 5 years imprisonment, or both. It also makes technical and conforming changes to related provisions in Title 18 of the U.S. Code.