Blocking police or ambulances could qualify as domestic terrorism

A destructive act that blocks police, first responders, or someone trying to reach medical care could fall under the federal definition of domestic terrorism under a proposal introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on May 15.

The bill would revise a key line in federal criminal law, expanding the definition so it covers certain acts likely to cause significant damage to property when they also obstruct emergency response or medical access. Today, the definition centers on acts that are dangerous to human life.

Supporters of the change say the gap matters in situations where property destruction creates chaos that keeps emergency crews from doing their jobs or prevents someone from getting urgent care.

Expanding the legal definition

The proposal amends section 2331(5)(A) of title 18 of the U.S. Code, which lays out how federal law defines domestic terrorism.

Under the revised language, a qualifying act would still need to violate federal or state criminal law. But it could meet the definition if it is either dangerous to human life or likely to cause significant damage to property.

The bill adds another condition as well: the act must obstruct or impede a law enforcement officer, a first responder, or a person seeking medical attention. Property damage on its own would not meet the definition without that connection to blocking emergency response or access to care.

Why the wording matters

Domestic-terrorism language carries unusual legal and political weight in federal law because it shapes how investigators, prosecutors, and policymakers describe certain threats and incidents. The proposal does not create a brand-new standalone crime in the quoted language. Instead, it changes how certain conduct may be classified, tying the label of domestic terrorism to behavior that is already a violation of federal or state criminal law.

By adding significant property damage to the definition in situations that block emergency access, the bill broadens the kinds of conduct that could be categorized that way. The wording focuses on moments when police, firefighters or paramedics cannot reach an emergency, and it also extends to cases where someone obstructs or impedes a person who is trying to obtain medical attention.

The bill, called the Federal Accountability for Felony Obstruction Act, was introduced by Representative John J. McGuire with Representatives Wesley Hunt of Texas and Matt Van Epps of Tennessee as cosponsors, and would amend Title 18 of the U.S. Code to include property damage within acts that constitute domestic terrorism under those conditions.