Just a few days ago, anti-ICE protesters shut down a major highway in Los Angeles because they object to deportations.
The First Amendment guarantees the right to free speech and protests, but not walking out onto highways and restricting the movement of other people. Sometime in recent years, the left decided that it liked this tactic and they use it all the time.
Now, Republican Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia is planning to reintroduce a bill that would make this a federal crime. This is long overdue.
I will soon reintroduce legislation to make blocking a highway intentionally a federal crime. First Hamas supporters, now illegals and their enablers, are stopping traffic. To make America safe again, we must have law and order. https://t.co/cAp8Z5nUbI
— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) February 2, 2025
Collins first introduced this bill in February of last year. It had the backing of then-Senator Marco Rubio.
From Collins’ House site:
Collins to Introduce House Companion Bill to Criminalize Intentional Obstruction of Interstate Highways
Today, Representative Mike Collins (R-Ga.) announced that he will introduce the House Companion to S. 192, the Safe Passage on Interstates Act, legislation that would make the intentional obstruction of interstate highways illegal.
The bill was first introduced in the Senate by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) on January 31, 2023.
Rep. Mike Collins said, “This legislation is critical for the freedom of transportation and safety on our roads. Millions of Americans depend on interstate highways to conduct everyday activities. By blocking and impeding traffic, protestors risk not only their safety but the safety of others and impede first responders from reaching community emergencies. This bill gives law enforcement the tools necessary to deal with people who intentionally block highways like the pro-Hamas activists who caused mass traffic disruption across D.C. earlier this month.”
Sen. Marco Rubio said, “Pro-Hamas radicals and other protesters who block highways disrupt law-abiding Americans from driving to work, school buses from getting kids to school, and ambulances from getting to the hospital. Several states already prohibit this conduct; however, there is no federal law against this type of stunt. It’s time for Congress to do its part. We need to make sure people face criminal penalties for blocking interstate systems that we all rely on.”
Some people had another idea:
Don’t make it illegal to block a highway, make it legal to drive through anyone blocking a highway. https://t.co/37OmaERKtM
— Kab (@soulofkab) February 3, 2025
Blocking highways is a dangerous and stupid form of protest. Something needs to be done to stop it.
