S-2869 : Still Just a Bill

The bill S. 2869, also known as the "Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act," introduces new criminal and immigration penalties for individuals who intentionally flee from law enforcement officers while operating a motor vehicle near the U.S. border.

• Criminal Penalties: The bill establishes a new federal crime for evading arrest or detention while operating a motor vehicle within 100 miles of the U.S. border when fleeing from a U.S. Border Patrol officer or any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer assisting Border Patrol.
  • The penalties are:
    • Up to 2 years imprisonment and/or fines for the general offense.
    • Not less than 5 years and up to 20 years imprisonment and/or fines if serious bodily injury results.
    • Not less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment and/or fines if death results.
• Immigration Penalties: Any person who commits this offense while unlawfully present in the United States will be permanently ineligible to apply for any legal status, including asylum.
• Reporting Requirement: The Attorney General is required to submit an annual report to the Judiciary Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives. This report must detail the number of individuals charged with violating this new law and summarize the penalties sought and imposed in these cases.