Terrorist Denaturalization and Passport Revocation Act

Bill: 114-hr-178
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Womack, Steve [R-AR-3]
Introduced: 2015-01-06
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Immigration status and procedures

Terrorism

Visas and passports
Latest action: action_date: 2015-02-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-01-06
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p> <strong>Terrorist Denaturalization and Passport Revocation Act </strong></p> <p> Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include among the grounds for loss of U.S. nationality by a native-born or naturalized citizen: </p> <ul> <li>taking an oath or making a declaration of allegiance to a foreign terrorist organization after attaining the age of 18; </li> <li> entering or serving in the armed forces of a foreign state that harbors a foreign terrorist organization; </li> <li>accepting, serving in, or performing the duties of any office, post, or employment in a foreign terrorist organization after attaining the age of 18; </li> <li>accepting, serving in, or performing the duties of any office, post, or employment in a foreign terrorist organization after attaining the age of 18 for which an oath or declaration of allegiance is required; or </li> <li>accepting, serving in, or performing the duties of any office, post, or employment in a foreign terrorist organization after attaining the age of 18 if the position requires knowing engagement in hostilities against U.S. military or civilian personnel.</li> </ul> <p>Amends the Passport Act of 1926 to prohibit, with a discretionary exception for emergency or humanitarian reasons, the Secretary of State from issuing a passport or passport card to an individual who is a member of a foreign terrorist organization engaged in hostilities against the United States or its allies. </p> <p>Directs the Secretary to revoke a passport or passport card previously issued to any such individual.</p> <p>Authorizes the Secretary, before revocation, to: (1) limit a previously issued passport or passport card only for return travel to the United States, or (2) issue a limited passport or passport card that only permits return travel to the United States.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 178 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 6, 2015 Mr. Womack (for himself, Mr. Duncan of Tennessee , and Mr. Pittenger ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary , and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To amend section 349(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to add certain acts of allegiance to a foreign terrorist organization to the list of acts for which nationals of the United States lose nationality, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Terrorist Denaturalization and Passport Revocation Act . 2. Loss of nationality Section 349(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1481(a) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by striking or at the end; (2) in paragraph (2)— (A) by inserting after thereof, the following: or an organization designated as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219, ; and (B) by striking or at the end; (3) in paragraph (3)— (A) by striking States, or and inserting States; ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (C) such foreign state harbors an organization designated as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219; ; (4) in paragraph (4)(A)— (A) by inserting after thereof, the following: or for an organization designated as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219, ; (B) by striking he has and inserting the person has ; and (C) by striking or at the end; (5) in paragraph (4)(B), by inserting after thereof, the following: or for an organization designated as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219, ; (6) in paragraph (4), by adding at the end the following: (C) accepting, serving in, or performing the duties of any office, post, or employment for an organization designated as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219, after attaining the age of eighteen years, if the office, post, or employment requires knowing engagement in hostilities against United States military or civilian personnel; ; and (7) in paragraph (5), by striking or at the end. 3. Revocation or denial of passports and passport cards to individuals who are members of foreign terrorist organizations The Act entitled An Act to regulate the issue and validity of passports, and for other purposes , approved July 3, 1926 ( 22 U.S.C. 211a et seq. ), commonly known as the Passport Act of 1926 , is amended by adding at the end the following: 4. Authority to deny or revoke passport and passport card (a) Ineligibility (1) Issuance Except as provided under subsection (b), the Secretary of State may not issue a passport or passport card to any individual whom the Secretary has determined is a member of an organization the Secretary has designated as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1189 ) that is engaging in hostilities against the United States or its allies. (2) Revocation The Secretary of State shall revoke a passport or passport card previously issued to any individual described in paragraph (1). (b) Exceptions (1) Emergency and humanitarian situations Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary of State may issue a passport or passport card, in emergency circumstances or for humanitarian reasons, to an individual described in paragraph (1) of such subsection. (2) Limitation for return to United States Notwithstanding subsection (a)(2), the Secretary of State, before revocation, may— (A) limit a previously issued passport or passport card only for return travel to the United States; or (B) issue a limited passport or passport card that only permits return travel to the United States. .