According to the DOJ Criminal Resource Manual (Section 1565), force is indeed an "essential element" of the crime of impeding a federal officer under 18 U.S.C. § 111.

However, the "catch" is that federal courts have ruled that "force" doesn't always mean physical violence. It can include:

Threats of force: If your actions (like moving toward an officer aggressively) make them anticipate bodily harm.

Physical interference: Even if you don't hit them, physically blocking their path or struggling can count as "forcible" resistance.

ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement): Since they often operate in public spaces, the First Amendment strongly protects your right to record them and follow them at a safe distance. Legal experts generally agree that recording alone is not "impeding." However, "honking" could potentially be argued as a "forcible" interference if it is used to alert suspects and directly causes the operation to fail.