State Dept. restricts passports for sex offenders 10
The State Department is threatening to take away the passports of certain sex offenders.
Federal law requires registered sex offenders to display a unique mark on their passports to notify officials in foreign governments when they travel abroad. Passports that do not contain the mark could be confiscated, the State Department said Thursday.
The rule is linked to a law signed in February by President Obama that aims to crack down on sex trafficking. Government officials say it will put foreign officials on the lookout for sex offenders.
But the move has drawn backlash from sex offenders, who argue it is paramount to a “scarlet letter.”
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed earlier this year by anonymous sex offenders but left room for the challenge to proceed after the State Department issued the final rule.
The department will also deny passports to tax evaders who owe “seriously delinquent tax debt,” as well as people who do not provide an accurate Social Security number.
The rule goes into effect immediately.
The State Department skipped the public comment period under the “good cause” provision that allows for regulations of particular importance that serve the public interest to be published more quickly.
“The Department believes that public comment on this rulemaking would be unnecessary, impractical, and contrary to the public interest,” it wrote.
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Thank you Jv! Good to know and I hope you have a great time!
I’m a rso and just booked a trip to italy with mom. No problem yet to report. I called each Italian city policia and they said This is American problem, not ours! Not a single official could back up what The Law is supposed to do. The policia said if you commit a sex crime in Italy, then you are our jurisdiction not USA. Whatever you did wrong in USA, if you have a valid passport and your name is not on a criminal wanted list..ypu are welcomed as a temp visa tourist in Italy. I’m booked, I have cleared with FDLE and my county. Yes its huge pain in the ass but we must remain compliant to State and Federal laws.
Did you fly into Italy?