The Back the Blue Act of 2025 creates new federal crimes and penalties aimed at protecting law enforcement officers, judges, and other public safety workers. The bill makes it a federal crime to kill or attempt to kill federal judges, federal law enforcement officers, or state and local officers who receive federal funding—with sentences ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment, or death penalty if someone is killed. It also creates a separate federal crime for assaulting these same officers, with sentences of 2 to 20 years depending on the severity of the injury, and allows federal prosecution only with approval from the Attorney General.

The bill also changes civil lawsuit rules to make it harder for people to sue law enforcement officers and judges for damages. If someone sues a judge, they can't get money damages unless the judge violated a court order. More significantly, if someone was engaged in conduct that likely constituted a felony or crime of violence—including during their own arrest or prosecution—they can only recover actual out-of-pocket costs, not broader damages or attorney's fees. This means if you're arrested and claim police used excessive force, but you're convicted of a felony, your ability to recover money in a lawsuit is severely limited.

The bill also expands firearm rights for law enforcement officers and retired officers, allowing them to carry guns in federal buildings and court facilities, and permits them to store firearms in secure areas within federal facilities. Finally, it restricts the ability of people convicted of killing public safety officers to challenge their convictions or sentences in federal court, imposing strict time limits and preventing certain legal arguments from being heard.