Ernst, Hassan Strengthen Penalties for Crimes in U.S. Directed by Foreign Adversaries
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) introduced the Deterring External Threats and Ensuring Robust Responses to Egregious and Nefarious Criminal Endeavors Act (DETERRENCE) Act to strengthen criminal penalties for individuals who commit, or attempt to commit, violent crimes in the United States on behalf of foreign adversaries.
Last month, two eastern European organized crime leaders were convicted of targeting an American journalist in a murder-for-hire scheme on behalf of the Iranian government.
“We cannot allow foreign adversaries, like Iran, to fund crimes against Americans on our own soil,” said Ernst. “Criminals are on notice, anyone helping to carry out Tehran’s malign ‘death to America’ will face severe consequences. The DETERRENCE Act is another peace through strength action that will make bad actors think twice before targeting our citizens.”
“Foreign adversaries are working with gangs and criminals in the United States to try to kill people on our soil, which is a national security risk,” said Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation will crack down on criminals who commit violence on behalf of a foreign government. I urge my colleagues in Congress to quickly take up and pass this legislation and send a clear message to our foreign adversaries that they will face particularly serious consequences if they expand their criminal activity to American soil.”
“The United States is the home of liberty and freedom of expression. Everyone, from the President to every-day citizens, are threatened when rogue regimes like Iran attempt to infiltrate our borders and commit crimes against us,” said Carrie Filipetti, Executive Director of the Vandenberg Coalition. “Enforcing higher punishments for those doing these rogue regime’s bidding is an important step in the right direction to deter would-be criminals. States like Iran need to get the message that America is back, and their rules don’t work in our country.”
The DETERRENCE Act increases criminal penalties for the following federal crimes when the crimes are committed under U.S. jurisdiction on behalf of foreign governments, including:
- Engaging in a murder-for-hire scheme;
- Murdering or attempting to murder certain federal officials, including Presidents-elect;
- Murdering or attempting to murder certain former federal officials, or their families, because of their official actions;
- Assaulting certain former federal officials, or their families, because of their official actions;
- Kidnapping or attempted kidnapping;
- Threats of violence using a dangerous weapon against certain current and former federal officials, as well as their families, because of their official actions; and
- Stalking.
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