As masked and costumed protesters demonstrate outside federal immigration facilities nationwide, the federal government has sped up the start of a new rule that may expose those protesters to fines and additional penalties.

Under the new rule, which took effect Wednesday, those fines can apply to people who commit crimes near federal property as well as on it, giving the Department of Homeland Security what it calls “enhanced charging authority.”

The agency said the intent of the change is “to address violations occurring both on and off property to the extent it affects federal property and the persons thereon.”

The rule had been scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, but on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska, a member of the local U.S. Attorney’s office requested

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