Sponsors
The bill centralizes control over responses to ICC requests—protecting state and local budgets and preventing compelled local enforcement—while increasing the risk of delayed accountability for alleged international crimes, shifting costs and decision-making to the federal government, and reducing local policy flexibility.
State and local law enforcement and governments will not be required to act on International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest or detention requests without clear federal authorization, preserving local control over arrests and detentions.
Limits use of state and local resources for international-enforcement actions absent federal authorization, protecting local budgets and personnel from being diverted to ICC-related activities.
Establishes federal primacy and a centralized process (including Congressional action or presidential national-security certification) for responding to ICC requests, creating a uniform national standard and a clear federal pathway for cooperation when needed.
Foreign nationals present in the U.S. (including immigrants) may avoid timely arrest on ICC matters when federal authorization is not obtained, potentially hindering accountability for serious international crimes.
Residents and localities could lose the ability to adopt or enforce state/local rules that differ from the federal standard, reducing local policy flexibility and potentially stripping away stronger local protections.
By removing a local enforcement pathway, the bill could constrain U.S. support for international justice and limit foreign-policy tools—complicating commitments to allies and delaying cooperative action until federal approval is secured.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Introduced September 29, 2025 by Richard Lynn Scott · Last progress September 29, 2025
Prohibits state, territorial, District of Columbia, and local officers and agencies from arresting, detaining, or otherwise depriving a foreign national of liberty based solely on process issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), and bars state or local cooperation with ICC efforts to effectuate such arrests or detentions. The ban also stops use of state or local funds, facilities, personnel, or equipment to carry out ICC-related arrests or detention unless Congress passes a specific law authorizing cooperation in a particular case or the President certifies to Congress that cooperation is essential to a declared national security interest and provides specific written authorization. It also makes the federal law controlling nationwide by preempting any state or local law, policy, or regulation that conflicts with this prohibition, and includes a severability clause so remaining provisions survive if part is struck down by a court. The Act names no funding, enforcement mechanism, or deadlines beyond the prohibitions and exceptions described.