WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Republican Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik introduced the Sovereign Enforcement Integrity Act to prohibit New York State Representative Zohran Mamdani’s repeated statements of intent to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu if he comes to New York City.
The objective of this bill is to preempt state and local law enforcement from executing, honoring, or enforcing any request, warrant, or indictment issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) unless expressly authorized by federal law.
"Antisemite Communist Zohran Mamdani pledged to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu if he came to NYC. The United States is not part of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and their antisemitic States," said Chairwoman Stefanik. "That is why I introduced the Sovereign Enforcement Integrity Act to protect American sovereignty and prohibit radicals like Mamdani from illegally arresting the leader of our democratic ally Israel."
BACKGROUND:
The ICC issued a warrant for Netanyahu's arrest in November 2024.
Mamdani said on September 12 that he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu if he comes to New York City based on the authority of the ICC, an international organization that the United States is not a part of. Given that the United States is not party to the Rome Statute, allowing ICC rulings to impact domestic policy conflicts with the United States justice system.
Given Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s virulent antisemitism, support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, refusal to condemn antisemitic statements such as “Globalize the Intifada,” and insistence on arresting Prime Minister Netanyahu if he were to travel to New York City, this legislation states that Congress finds the following:
- The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute establishing the ICC.
- The U.S. Constitution provides the federal government with exclusive authority over foreign relations and the treatment of foreign nationals within the territory of the United States.
- The arrest or detention of foreign nationals on U.S. soil pursuant to an ICC request or indictment, absent federal authorization, could jeopardize the foreign policy interests of the United States and conflict with longstanding constitutional principles.
- Law enforcement activities implicating international law enforcement obligations must be governed by uniform national standards.
READ the Bill HERE
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