S. 3179: Halo Act (119th Congress) Bill Summary

The Halo Act is a proposed piece of legislation aimed at establishing penalties for obstructing immigration enforcement activities in the United States. Here’s a breakdown of the key components of the bill:

Purpose of the Bill

The primary goal of the Halo Act is to create legal consequences for individuals who interfere with federal immigration enforcement officers while they are performing their duties.

Definitions

Federal immigration enforcement officer: This term refers to any authorized personnel engaged in activities related to enforcing federal immigration laws, including prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of violations.
Harass: This term includes knowingly engaging in actions directed at a federal immigration enforcement officer that cause significant emotional distress without a legitimate purpose.

Illegal Actions Outlined

Approach or remain within 25 feet of a federal immigration enforcement officer after receiving a verbal warning not to do so;
Impede or interfere with the officer’s ability to perform their legal duties;
Threaten the officer with physical harm; or
Harass the officer.

Penalties

If someone violates these provisions, the penalties could include:

A fine,
Imprisonment for up to 5 years, or
Both a fine and imprisonment.

Technical Amendments

The Halo Act would also make technical and conforming amendments to the existing laws in Title 18 of the United States Code, specifically by adding the new section that details the offenses related to obstructing immigration enforcement activities.