Moody's Secret Police Protection Bill Flops Hard in Senate
Freshman Sen. Ashley Moody’s proposal to criminalize existing near immigration agents has zero co-sponsors; Karoline Leavitt's kin abducted by ICE; and more.
WASHINGTON — There is much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Eve, but high on the list for civil libertarians is a resounding silence in the Senate. Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL) introduced the “Halo Act” (S. 3179) last week, a bill designed to turn federal immigration agents into a protected class immune from public scrutiny.
So be thankful that as I type, the bill has exactly zero co-sponsors.
The Florida Republican’s legislation is a masterclass in constitutional illiteracy. The “Halo Act” would make it a federal crime to knowingly approach or remain within 25 feet of a federal immigration enforcement officer after receiving a warning. The penalty for violating this “safe space”? Up to five years in federal prison.
But the devil is in the definitions. The bill criminalizes “harassment,” which Moody defines as conduct that “causes substantial emotional distress” to an officer and “serves no legitimate purpose”.
Let’s be clear about what this means: If a journalist, a legal observer, or a…