Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced legislation today aimed at reinforcing U.S. sovereignty by explicitly limiting the authority of state and local law enforcement from acting on behalf of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The bill, titled the Sovereign Enforcement Integrity Act, is a direct response to threats from figures like New York City politician Zohran Mamdani to arrest foreign nationals, specifically Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, based solely on ICC warrants.
The proposed legislation would prohibit state and local authorities from arresting or detaining foreign nationals, such as allied leaders, based only on ICC warrants, indictments, or requests, unless the action is specifically authorized by federal law or a presidential memorandum related to U.S. national security.
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Senator Scott announced the bill’s introduction, stating, “NYC Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s threats to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are dangerous, absurd, and go against the values of the United States.”
Scott emphasized that the U.S. stands with its allies and operates under its own rule of law, not “the will of the shameful International Criminal Court or socialists with an anti-Israel agenda.”
He asserted that the legislation “ensures that no rogue local or state leaders take it upon themselves to have law enforcement arrest leaders of the United States’ allies on American soil.”
The introduction of the Senate bill comes as the House counterpart is being led by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY).
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The controversy stems from the possibility of ICC actions against Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, related to the ongoing conflict prompted by the Hamas attack during a time of peace.
The U.S., while supportive of international justice, is not a state party to the Rome Statute that established the ICC and has historically maintained a complex and often adversarial relationship with the court regarding its jurisdiction over U.S. or allied nationals.
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