New federal crimes target interference with DHS, DOJ officers—up to 20 years.

What it does

This bill adds two new federal crimes to 18 U.S.C. § 111: (1) using a vehicle to assault or interfere with DHS or DOJ law enforcement officers, and (2) forcibly assaulting, resisting, or interfering with such officers while they are in a federal law enforcement vehicle. Both offenses carry penalties up to 20 years imprisonment and fines. The bill does not decriminalize or shield anyone from prosecution — it creates new criminal liability for conduct targeting specific federal agencies.

Why we flagged it

The bill's sole function is to add new federal criminal offenses and increase maximum penalties for conduct targeting DHS and DOJ officers. It is a straightforward criminal-code amendment, not a regulatory or appropriations measure.

What the text implies

• The bill does not define 'interfere with' or 'impede' — terms that could encompass lawful protest, recording of police activity, or assertion of constitutional rights during police encounters, creating prosecutorial discretion to charge conduct that may not rise to assault or resistance.
• The 20-year maximum for vehicle-based assault and interference in a federal vehicle is substantially higher than the 8-year maximum under existing 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)–(b) for assault on federal officers generally, creating a sentencing cliff for conduct that may be factually similar.

The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.

Who it affects

The bill creates new federal criminal liability for assaulting or interfering with federal law enforcement, which protects officers and may deter violence against them — a public safety benefit. However, the new 20-year maximum sentences are substantially higher than existing penalties for similar conduct under § 111(a)–(b), and the bill does not define the scope of 'interfere with' or 'impede,' creating risk of prosecutorial overreach and chilling of lawful protest or resistance to unlawful pol