No Vigilante Checkpoints and Civil Rights Protection Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill would make it a federal crime for private individuals or groups to act like police by stopping cars, asking for ID, or searching people on public roads. It specifically targets people who set up checkpoints to monitor or interfere with federal law enforcement activities, such as immigration enforcement.
• People caught running these unauthorized checkpoints could face up to 5 years in prison. If the person uses a gun, hurts someone, or targets a federal officer, the penalty increases to a maximum of 10 years in prison.
• The law would allow victims to sue the people running the checkpoints for at least $10,000 per violation. Victims could also sue the organizations that fund or organize these activities, as well as local government agencies that knowingly allow them to happen on public property.
• To make it easier for victims to win in court, the bill removes 'qualified immunity' for defendants. This means individuals or government workers involved in these illegal stops cannot use their job status as a shield to avoid being held personally responsible for civil rights violations.
• The bill includes a 'rule of construction' to protect free speech. This ensures that the new law cannot be used to stop people from participating in legal protests or assemblies, as long as they aren't actually stopping cars or demanding IDs.