Halo Act

Key Points

• Creates a new federal crime for getting within 25 feet of a federal immigration officer after the officer gives a verbal warning not to approach.
• To be guilty, a person must knowingly ignore the warning and be close to the officer with intent to interfere with the officer’s work, threaten physical harm, or harass the officer.
• Defines “harass” as a repeated pattern of behavior meant to cause serious emotional distress and having no legitimate purpose.
• Penalties could include a fine and up to 5 years in prison if convicted.
• This could affect protests, filming, or confronting officers during immigration operations, especially after an officer tells someone to stay back.