Police Group Endorses ICE Protection Act
The National Police Association has endorsed the ICE Protection Act of 2026. The group cited a rise in incidents where protestors have used vehicles to attack Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The Department of Homeland Security reportedly has noted "alarming numbers" of such attacks, providing momentum for the new legislation.
The ICE Protection Act of 2026, introduced by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), would amend Title 18 of the U.S. Code to create mandatory minimum sentences for assaulting an officer with a vehicle. The proposed sentences range from a minimum of five years for causing bodily injury to ten years for causing "serious bodily injury." This legislation follows a January 2026 Department of Homeland Security report claiming a 3,200% increase in vehicular attacks against Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers over the previous year. In an earlier report from October 2025, the DHS also cited an 8,000% increase in death threats against ICE law enforcement. The bill currently has seven Republican co-sponsors and has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for deliberation. The National Police Association, which endorsed the bill, advocates for authorizing local law enforcement to perform federal immigration enforcement functions. The push for new protections comes after a joint intelligence bulletin from the DHS and FBI in late 2025. The memo warned law enforcement nationwide of an "evolution in tactics and an escalation in violence" by domestic extremists targeting ICE personnel and facilities. Recent years have seen numerous clashes during protests, with some activists using their bodies or cars to block ICE agents. In one documented incident in San Francisco, federal agents in an SUV were filmed driving through a crowd of protestors who were blocking the vehicle.
