Washington, D.C. | www.mpac.org | September 15, 2025 — The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) strongly condemns H.R. 5300, the Department of State Policy Provisions Act, introduced by Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL). While the legislation claims to target “terrorists and traffickers,” its vague and sweeping provisions would give the Secretary of State unchecked power to revoke or deny U.S. passports. In practice, this bill, a direct violation of the First Amendment, could strip Americans of their right to travel not because of proven criminal activity, but based solely on their speech, activism, or political views.
This attempt at thought policing comes at a moment when dissent is already under siege. Pro-Palestinian students and advocates have faced escalating repression from the removal of Rümeysa Öztürk’s visa to the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, demonstrating how dissenting voices are increasingly criminalized rather than heard. H.R. 5300 would accelerate this trend, conflating political speech with terrorism and punishing people without due process, a move that strikes at the core of our democratic values.
MPAC calls on lawmakers and civil society to reject this dangerous legislation. National security cannot come at the expense of constitutional rights. We urge Congress to oppose H.R. 5300 and reaffirm that the United States must remain a nation where free thought and free speech are protected rather than silenced or policed.