South OC Times

Foreign officials who violate the First Amendment rights of Americans will face significantly enhanced measures under new legislation authored by Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), a senior member of both the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees, and Congresswoman Maria Salazar (FL-27), Chair of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere.

The No Censors on Our Shores Act specifies that official acts by a foreign government official against American citizens while they are in the U.S.—acts that would violate their First Amendment rights had they occurred in this country—can lead to refusal of entry into the United States or deportation once here.

"We are all aware of the abuse of power by the Supreme Court in Brazil that is targeting Elon Musk and blocking access to X, a privately held American company. But the free speech rights of Americans are also under attack all over the world, and in many nations that we might not expect," said Rep. Issa. "With the No Censors on Our Shores Act, foreign government officials will be put on notice: Deny our citizens their First Amendment rights, and this country will deny you entry to America or show you the door."

"Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes is the vanguard of an international assault on freedom of speech against American citizens like Elon Musk," said Rep. Salazar. "Freedom of Speech is a natural and inalienable right that knows no borders. The enforcers of censorship are not welcome in the land of the free, the United States."

The bill specifically amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to deem any foreign official who violates the First Amendment rights of Americans on U.S. soil as inadmissible and subject to deportation from the United States.

Read the bill text here.