U.S. lawmakers look to add tougher penalties for those who commit crimes in masks

WASHINGTON - A group of Republican lawmakers, including two freshmen representatives from North Texas, want to increase punishments for protesters who wear a mask while damaging federal property.

Unmasking Hamas Act of 2025

Called the Unmasking Hamas Act, the bill calls for up to 15 years in prison for "violating the constitutional rights of others" while wearing a mask or disguise. It also adds two years to the sentence of anyone who damages federal property while disguised.

The bill was filed by Rep. Addison McDowell (R- N.C.) and co-sponsored by freshmen Texas Reps. Craig Goldman and Brandon Gill.

What they're saying:

"Terrorist sympathizers hiding behind masks to intimidate, threaten, and destroy have no place in America. I’m proud to cosponsor Rep. McDowell’s Unmasking Hamas Act to ensure swift, severe penalties for protesters who think they can trample our rights and wreak havoc on our streets," Gill said. "Republicans are taking back our country—restoring law, order, and accountability."

The bill comes in the wake of the arrest of a Palestinian activist who helped organize campus protests against the war in Gaza.

"Since the tragic events of October 7th, masked protesters have been causing chaos across the nation. On college campuses, these individuals are intimidating students, occupying academic buildings, and disrupting classes," Goldman said. "In cities, mobs of masked protesters are vandalizing public property with hateful messages. These vile protesters should no longer be allowed to hide behind masks while violating other’s rights. I am joining my colleagues to introduce the Unmasking Hamas Act of 2025 to take the necessary action to prevent these unlawful activities."

Protests against the war in Gaza

Big picture view:

Mahmoud Khalil was arrested Saturday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. President Donald Trump has indicated that the arrest was directly related to his role in protests at Columbia University in New York City. 
Khalil is being held at an immigration detention center in Jena, Louisiana, while he awaits immigration court proceedings that could eventually lead to him being deported, the Associated Press reports. His arrest has drawn criticism that he’s being unfairly and unlawfully targeted for his activism, while the federal government has essentially described him as a terrorist sympathizer.

The Department of Homeland Security said Khalil was taken into custody as a result of Trump’s executive orders prohibiting antisemitism.

Trump has argued that protesters forfeited their rights to remain in the country by supporting the Palestinian group Hamas, which controls Gaza and has been designated as a terrorist organization.

Khalil and other student leaders of Columbia University Apartheid Divest have rejected claims of antisemitism, saying they are part of a broader anti-war movement that also includes Jewish students and groups. But the protest coalition, at times, has also voiced support for leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, another Islamist organization designated by the U.S. as a terrorist group.

Khalil’s lawyers have also filed a lawsuit challenging his detention. A federal judge in New York City ordered that Khalil not be deported while the court considered his case. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

Local perspective:

Khalil's arrest comes as the Trump administration promises more arrests at other universities.

Last spring, protests took place on college campuses across the United States.

At Columbia, protesters set up tents and protest encampments demanding the school cut its financial ties to Israel.

In Austin, nearly 60 people were arrested last year after students at the University of Texas walked out of class to occupy the school's South Lawn.

Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas universities to revise their free speech policies in an effort to curb antisemitism in the wake of the conflict between Hamas and Israel.

This request for universities to revamp their free speech policies singled out pro-Palestinian groups. And while it aimed to address antisemitism, it did not aim to address Islamophobia.