Rubio Bill Could Allow Passport Revocations Based on Speech
A new bill introduced by Rep. Brian Mast raises concerns among civil liberties advocates due to its potential to grant the Secretary of State, mirroring actions taken by Secretary Rubio, the power to revoke passports based on speech deemed to support terrorism. This legislation, part of a larger State Department reorganization, allows passport denial or revocation for individuals convicted or merely charged with providing material support to terrorism, or who are determined to have aided a designated foreign terrorist organization. Critics like Seth Stern and the ACLU’s Kia Hamadanchy argue that these provisions could punish individuals for their opinions and could be used to silence dissenting voices, potentially targeting journalists, and lacks meaningful appeal processes. The bill has faced scrutiny, particularly in light of similar past attempts to penalize groups and individuals based on their views on political issues, including pro-Palestinian activism.
John Q. Hosedrinker