American Allies Protection Act

This legislation, known as the American Allies Protection Act , seeks to impose penalties on state and local governments that cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in certain circumstances. Specifically, it prohibits the Attorney General from awarding, renewing, or extending grants for a four-year period to any state, territory, or political subdivision that arrests, detains, or otherwise deprives the liberty of a current or former foreign official from a NATO member or a Major Non-NATO Ally . These penalties are triggered if such actions are based solely on an ICC warrant or process, or if the entity cooperates with the ICC in effectuating such an arrest or detention. However, the Attorney General may waive these penalties if the President certifies to specific congressional committees that the act in question is essential to the national security interests of the United States, providing a detailed justification for the necessity of the act.