Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino and Congresswoman Claudia Tenney have announced the reintroduction of the Local Law Enforcement Protection Act, aimed at preserving qualified immunity for police officers across the United States. The bill reinforces the Supreme Court’s decision in Saucier v. Katz, which states that officers can only be held accountable if they clearly violate constitutional rights.
The proposed legislation seeks to prevent federal grants from being awarded to state and local governments that remove qualified immunity protections for their law enforcement personnel.
Rep. Garbarino emphasized the importance of supporting police officers: “Qualified immunity has long protected law enforcement officers from being sued for doing their jobs when acting lawfully in the line of duty. Police protect and serve our communities every day—we have a responsibility to stand with them, not tie their hands.”
Rep. Tenney highlighted concerns over increasing assaults on police and movements to reduce police funding: “As assaults on police officers continue to increase and the radical Left’s ‘Defund the Police’ movement gains traction, some local and state-level governments are cutting police budgets and working to strip away qualified immunity.”
Both representatives expressed commitment to ensuring that law enforcement officials can perform their duties without fear of legal repercussions, emphasizing their role as protectors of community safety.
