YourVoice.Now Summary
Criminal Justice & Due ProcessWearing a mask while threatening someone over their rights would become a federal crime — up to 15 years
Criminal Justice & Due Process
It would be a new federal crime to hurt, threaten, or scare someone over their rights while wearing a mask or disguise. It covers officials too, but not police doing their lawful jobs.
Damaging property in places under special federal control already carries up to 5 years, or 20 for a home. Wearing a disguise would add a required 2 more years.
More about this bill
Hiding your face while you threaten someone over their rights would become its own federal crime. It would carry up to 15 years in prison. The crime covers anyone who wears a mask or other disguise while they hurt, threaten, or scare a person. It applies when the target is using a right protected by the Constitution or federal law. It also applies when someone is singled out for having used that right. Government officials are covered too. Police doing their lawful jobs are not. A second change adds prison time for wrecking property while masked. It applies in places under special federal control. Damaging property there already carries up to 5 years, or up to 20 years for a home or when a life is put at risk. Wearing a disguise would add 2 more years on top. The bill's title and findings point to protests tied to Hamas. But the new rules would apply to anyone, whatever their cause.
Congressional Summary
Unmasking Hamas Act of 2025 This bill establishes a new offense and strengthens the penalty for certain existing offenses involving prohibited conduct while wearing a disguise. Specifically, it establishes a new criminal civil rights violation for wearing a disguise while interfering with another person's exercise of a protected right or privilege. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 15 years, or both. Additionally, the bill establishes an enhanced penalty—a mandatory two-year prison term—for a person who wears a disguise during an offense involving the willful and malicious destruction of a building or property.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-03-11
- Date Added
- 2026-10-02
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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