The U.S. House of Representatives on June 4 voted 247-155 to approve legislation authored by U.S. Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) that would sanction any individual working for the International Criminal Court (ICC) who investigates, arrests, detains, or prosecutes any protected person of the United States and its allies.
“This bill is a message to the world that we will not sit by and watch a globalist ‘court’ interfere with Israel’s right to defend itself,” Rep. Mast said. “There are still six Americans held captive by Hamas in Gaza and we must support Israel in its fight to bring them home.”
The U.S. Senate on June 5 received for consideration the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, H.R. 8282, which Rep. Mast cosponsored on May 7 alongside bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) and 20 other GOP original cosponsors.
Specifically, if the ICC is engaging in any attempt to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any protected person, the President of the United States would be authorized under H.R. 8282 to impose sanctions, such as revoking the visas of ICC officials, who then would face deportation from the U.S.
Additionally, no further visas would be issued to them or their family members under an enacted H.R. 8282, according to the text of the bill.