<h1>New rules expand Federal Protective Service arrest and charging powers on and off federal property, raising civil liberties concerns</h1> The administration accelerated implementation of new rules expanding the Federal Protective Service's enforcement authority, allowing officers to arrest and charge individuals for a broader range of conduct both on and off federal property, including obstructing access, committing masked crimes, tampering with government IT (e.g., card readers), and unauthorized drone use. The rules, advanced from a prior administration's proposal, were justified by a cited surge in violence and broaden the FPS's jurisdiction beyond General Services Administration-owned sites and on-site conduct. Civil liberties advocates warn the codified powers risk enabling overreach and the targeting of protesters exercising lawful dissent.