(a) In general

The President may impose the sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to any foreign person the President determines, based on credible evidence—

(1) is responsible for or is complicit in, or responsible for ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing, the hostage-taking of a United States national abroad or the unlawful or wrongful detention of a United States national abroad; or

(2) knowingly provides financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of, an activity described in paragraph (1).

(b) Sanctions described

Ask a criminal law question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a criminal defense lawyer and protect your rights.

The sanctions described in this subsection are the following:

(1) Ineligibility for visas, admission, or parole

(A) Visas, admission, or parole

An alien described in subsection (a) may be—

(i) inadmissible to the United States;

(ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and

(iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the United States or to receive any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).

(B) Current visas revoked

(i) In general

An alien described in subsection (a) may be subject to revocation of any visa or other entry documentation regardless of when the visa or other entry documentation is or was issued.

(ii) Immediate effect

A revocation under clause (i) may—

(I) take effect immediately; and

(II) cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the alien’s possession.

(2) Blocking of property

(A) In general

The President may exercise all of the powers granted to the President under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of a foreign person described in subsection (a) if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or are or come within the possession or control of a United States person.

(B) Inapplicability of national emergency requirement

The requirements of section 202 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701) shall not apply for purposes of this section.

(c) Exceptions

(1) Exception for intelligence activities

Sanctions under this section shall not apply to any activity subject to the reporting requirements under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.) or any authorized intelligence activities of the United States.

(2) Exception to comply with international obligations and for law enforcement activities

Sanctions under subsection (b)(1) shall not apply with respect to an alien if admitting or paroling the alien into the United States is necessary—

(A) to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United States, or other applicable international obligations; or

(B) to carry out or assist law enforcement activity in the United States.

(d) Penalties

A person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of subsection (b)(2) or any regulation, license, or order issued to carry out that subsection shall be subject to the penalties set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) of that section.

(e) Termination of sanctions

The President may terminate the application of sanctions under this section with respect to a person if the President determines that—

(1) information exists that the person did not engage in the activity for which sanctions were imposed;

(2) the person has been prosecuted appropriately for the activity for which sanctions were imposed;

(3) the person has credibly demonstrated a significant change in behavior, has paid an appropriate consequence for the activity for which sanctions were imposed, and has credibly committed to not engage in an activity described in subsection (a) in the future; or

(4) the termination of the sanctions is in the national security interests of the United States.

(f) Reporting requirement

If the President terminates sanctions pursuant to subsection (d),¹ the President shall report to the appropriate congressional committees a written justification for such termination within 15 days.

(g) Implementation of regulatory authority

The President may exercise all authorities provided under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out this section.

(h) Exception relating to importation of goods

(1) In general

The authorities and requirements to impose sanctions authorized under this subchapter shall not include the authority or a requirement to impose sanctions on the importation of goods.

(2) Good defined

In this paragraph, the term “good” means any article, natural or manmade substance, material, supply or manufactured product, including inspection and test equipment, and excluding technical data.

(i) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Foreign person

The term “foreign person” means—

(A) any citizen or national of a foreign country (including any such individual who is also a citizen or national of the United States); or

(B) any entity not organized solely under the laws of the United States or existing solely in the United States.

(2) United States person

The term “United States person” means—

(A) an individual who is a United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States;

(B) an entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States, including a foreign branch of such an entity; or

(C) any person in the United States.