Police Group Endorses ICE Protection Act
The National Police Association has endorsed the ICE Protection Act of 2026, citing a rise in violent incidents against immigration officers. The group pointed to Homeland Security data showing an increase in protestors using vehicles as weapons against law enforcement.
The ICE Protection Act of 2026, introduced by Senator John Cornyn, would double the maximum prison term to 40 years for assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon. The bill also introduces new mandatory minimum sentences specifically for using a vehicle to cause injury, ranging from five to 10 years depending on the severity of the harm. The push for the legislation follows a Department of Homeland Security report claiming a 3,300% increase in vehicular attacks against ICE officers between January 2025 and January 2026, with 68 reported incidents compared to two in the prior year. DHS has detailed several incidents, including an officer in Florida being hit in the leg by a driver attempting to flee a traffic stop. However, the dramatic statistics on vehicle assaults have faced scrutiny. A federal judge, reviewing body camera footage in a separate case, found government claims about vehicle attacks were "difficult, if not impossible, to believe" and suggested agents may have "break checked" other drivers to provoke incidents. Civil liberties and immigrant rights groups argue against expanding the powers of an agency they claim operates with a lack of accountability. Critics point to a pattern of what they term "abusive and unconstitutional" practices, and are actively pushing for state and local governments to limit their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Opposition to ICE's tactics has been formalized in some areas, with states like New York and New Jersey considering legislation to create clearer boundaries between local law enforcement and federal immigration agents. This follows polling that indicates a majority of Americans oppose the tactics ICE uses for enforcement, with 62% disapproving. Recent incidents in Minneapolis, including protests where federal vehicles were vandalized after an ICE agent shot a man, have intensified the debate. While law enforcement points to such events as justification for increased protection, opponents see them as a response to what they call "rogue agencies" terrorizing communities.
