Senators Ashley Moody (R-FL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced legislation aiming to criminalize the public release of federal law enforcement officers’ names when done to obstruct investigations.
The “Protecting Law Enforcement from Doxxing Act” would amend federal criminal code to make “doxxing”—intentionally revealing an officer’s identity to hinder criminal or immigration enforcement—a felony. Violators could face fines and up to five years in federal prison.
Sen. Moody, a former Florida Attorney General and spouse of a law enforcement officer, said the bill is a necessary protection for agents facing increased risks. The proposal cites threats from transnational criminal groups like MS-13 and Tren De Aragua, warning that publicly sharing officers’ identities leaves them exposed to retaliation.
“It is vitally important to protect those who put their lives on the line every day to protect us all,” Moody said.
The bill also targets local officials who, according to its sponsors, have shared officer details in ways that interfere with federal operations. Sen. Blackburn framed the legislation as a measure to ensure local leaders do not impede federal immigration enforcement.
If passed, the act would expand Title 18 of the U.S. Code to cover obstruction related to immigration enforcement, closing what the sponsors see as a gap in current officer safety laws.