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A bill proposed by Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, would allegedly give Secretary of State Marco Rubio the power to revoke U.S. passports.
Critics claim the bill’s vague language could allow Rubio to revoke U.S. passports from citizens who criticize Israel.
Congressman Brian Mast has introduced a bill that would allow the State Department to revoke the passports of Americans who oppose Israel.
Under the legislation, anyone the State Department determines has “knowingly aided, assisted, abetted, or otherwise provided material… pic.twitter.com/1ogy1zq7oy
— AF Post (@AFpost) September 13, 2025
“A new bill in Congress could let Sec. Rubio revoke U.S. passports from citizens who criticize Israel, the Intercept reports. The proposal comes after Rubio already revoked visas and green cards of foreign nationals, including a Turkish student who wrote an op-ed against Israel,” Mario Nawfal wrote.
“The bill cites ‘material support for terrorism,’ but critics warn this vague language could be twisted to punish speech, protests, or even journalism. Civil liberties groups say the move risks turning political dissent into a crime and creating a ‘thought police’ system that silences critics of U.S. allies,” he continued.
🇺🇸🇮🇱 U.S. LAWMAKERS PUSH BILL TO STRIP PASSPORTS OVER ISRAEL CRITICISM
A new bill in Congress could let Sec. Rubio revoke U.S. passports from citizens who criticize Israel, the Intercept reports.
The proposal comes after Rubio already revoked visas and green cards of foreign… pic.twitter.com/SNulDgpY0W
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 13, 2025
The bill is part of a larger State Department reorganization and is set for a hearing on Wednesday.
“As Chairman, I made a promise to restore command and control-and this legislation delivers. It ensures every dollar and every diplomat puts America First and is accountable to the president’s foreign policy. It also prevents ideologues masquerading as diplomats from using their posts to push left-wing agendas instead of America’s interests. This bill is not just a reform for today, or for President Trump; it is a lasting framework that will strengthen the State Department and benefit every commander-in-chief who follows,” Mast said.
More from The Intercept:
Mast’s legislation says that it takes aim at “terrorists and traffickers,” but critics say it could be used to deny American citizens the right to travel based solely on their speech. (The State Department said it doesn’t comment on pending legislation.)
Seth Stern, the director of advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation, said the bill would open the door to “thought policing at the hands of one individual.”
“Marco Rubio has claimed the power to designate people terrorist supporters based solely on what they think and say,” Stern said, “even if what they say doesn’t include a word about a terrorist organization or terrorism.”
Mast, for his part, has publicly voiced his support for “kicking terrorist sympathizers out of our country.” At the time, he was talking about deporting Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian green-card holder who the Trump administration detained and attempted to deport based on what critics of the move said were his pro-Palestine views.
Mast’s new bill claims to target a narrow set of people. One section grants the secretary of state the power to revoke or refuse to issue passports for people who have been convicted — or merely charged — of material support for terrorism. (Mast’s office did not respond to a request for comment.)
Kia Hamadanchy, a senior policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union, said that language would accomplish little in practice, since terror convictions come with stiff prison sentences and pre-trial defendants are typically denied bail.
“Authorizes the State Department to revoke passports to any individual who been charged, convicted, or determined to have knowingly aided, assisted, abetted, or otherwise provided material support to a foreign terrorist organization,” the House Foreign Affairs Committee stated in a press release.
Mast, who formerly volunteered alongside the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), received immense criticism for wearing an Israeli military uniform on the House floor.
Republican Congressman Brian Mast wearing an IDF uniform tells you what?
Brian Mast served in both the US Army & The IDF.
What happens when members of Congress and our government hold dual citizenship US/Israel?
What happens if something is not in America’s best interests.… pic.twitter.com/761E6h18vz
— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) August 6, 2025
The Hill reported in 2023:
Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) arrived Friday on Capitol Hill wearing his military uniform from his service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in a display of unity with the country following the Palestinian militant group Hamas’s surprise attack last weekend.
“As the only member to serve with both the United States Army and the Israel Defense Forces, I will always stand with Israel,” Mast wrote in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, alongside several photos of him wearing the uniform Friday.
Mast similarly invoked his IDF service in a post on X immediately following the attack on Hamas, writing at the time, “As the only Member of Congress who has worn the uniform of both the U.S. Army and the Israeli Defense Forces, I know that those on the ground are willing to give their last breath for their country and for their friends, family, and neighbors. My prayers are with them.”
Read the full press release from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.