PRIA Logo™
HR8451119th Congress

Prevent the Misuse of Federal Law Enforcement Act

Sponsored By: Representative Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]

Introduced

Summary

Restricts federal law-enforcement powers in local jurisdictions without local approval. It focuses on limiting when federal officers can be sent to act inside states, tribes, territories, and D.C.

Show full summary
  • State, tribal, territorial, and D.C. leaders: Chief executives would need to request federal deputization before the U.S. Marshals Service or other federal officers can be assigned to act in their jurisdiction.
  • Federal enforcement duties: The Attorney General would be limited to assigning only duties necessary to enforce federal controlled‑substances laws.
  • Department of Homeland Security and protests: The Department of Homeland Security could not designate additional employees as officers for protecting federal property in areas where protest activity is occurring unless the relevant chief executive requests it. This restriction does not apply to employees transferred from the Federal Protective Service under the Homeland Security Act of 2002.

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Limit federal drug-enforcement duties

This bill would limit the law enforcement duties the Attorney General may assign under the Controlled Substances Act. The Attorney General could only designate duties necessary to enforce U.S. drug laws or duties that relate to drug investigations. It would bar using Controlled Substances Act authority for non-drug investigations.

Limit DHS protest duty designations

This bill would stop the Secretary of Homeland Security from designating additional DHS employees as officers to protect federal property or people in any area where protest activity is occurring, unless the chief executive of the State, Indian tribe, territory, or the District of Columbia requests it. The restriction would not apply to employees transferred from the Federal Protective Service under the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The change would shift control to state, tribal, territorial, or District leaders and could limit unilateral DHS deployments during protests.

Limit U.S. Marshals deputization powers

This bill would prohibit the U.S. Marshals Service from deputizing State, local, tribal, territorial, or District of Columbia law enforcement officers unless the chief executive of the appropriate jurisdiction requests it. It would also bar the Marshals from deputizing other Federal law enforcement officers unless a chief executive requests it. The change would shift control over deputizations to Governors, tribal leaders, territorial leaders, or the District chief executive.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
Back to Legislation