Legislation recently introduced in the U.S. Senate would make it a deportable offense for a non-citizen to assault a law enforcement officer.
The Protect Our Law Enforcement with Immigration Control and Enforcement (POLICE) Act of 2025 would explicitly designate the assault of a law enforcement officer, firefighter or other first responders as a deportable offense under federal law.
The bill’s title also states it can be used also “for other purposes.”
U.S. Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced the bill with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), a Senate Judiciary Committee member.
“When illegal aliens commit violent crimes against a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or first responder, they must be held fully accountable and be swiftly deported,” Cruz said on Jan. 23. “I am proud to join Sen. Budd and my colleagues in introducing commonsense legislation to ensure that this becomes law.
The bill was referred to the Judiciary Committee. It has 13 co-sponsors: U.S. Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Justice (R-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and Thom Tillis (R-NC).
Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.