Police Group Endorses ICE Protection Act
The National Police Association has formally endorsed the ICE Protection Act of 2026. The move comes in response to what the Department of Homeland Security describes as a rise in anti-ICE protests involving vehicular attacks on officers. The bill seeks to create enhanced legal safeguards for immigration enforcement personnel.
The ICE Protection Act of 2026, introduced by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), seeks to amend Title 18 of the U.S. Code. The bill would double the maximum prison term to 40 years for assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon. It has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for deliberation. Specifically, the legislation adds mandatory minimum sentences for vehicular assaults on officers. These new penalties start at five years for causing bodily injury, seven years for substantial bodily injury, and ten years for serious bodily injury. The bill's introduction follows a Department of Homeland Security report citing a 3,200% increase in vehicular attacks on ICE personnel. The DHS recorded 66 such attacks between early 2025 and early 2026, compared to two in the prior year. The same report noted a 1,347% increase in overall assaults against ICE officers. The National Police Association (NPA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose stated mission includes educating law enforcement supporters and using legal filings and investigations to combat the influence of "anti-police activists." In endorsing the bill, NPA Legislative Director Paula Fitzsimmons stated officers now contend with being assaulted by demonstrators using vehicles as weapons. This legislative effort comes amid heightened tensions surrounding immigration enforcement. In several states, Democratic lawmakers have introduced bills to make former ICE employees ineligible for state and local government jobs. Meanwhile, civil liberties groups are campaigning for cities and states to withdraw from collaboration agreements with ICE.
