July 15, 2025
Mr. Cruz (for himself, Mr. Cotton, Mrs. Moody, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. McCormick, and Mr. Boozman) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
To require the President to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, to direct the Secretary of State to submit a report to Congress regarding such designation, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Prohibitions on Muslim Brotherhood operations in the United States
(a) Findings; determinations
Section 1002 of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987 (22 U.S.C. 5201) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
in paragraph (6), by striking and
at the end;
(B)
in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
(8)
Hamas is a Muslim Brotherhood branch, according to its charter, which describes Hamas as
one of the wings of the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine;(9)
the Counter Terrorism Guide, published by the National Counterterrorism Center, states Hamas’s
roots are in the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood;(10)
Hamas has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Secretary of State pursuant to section 219(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189(a)) and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13224 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism);
(11)
on October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists committed the worst 1-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, which included the murder, kidnapping, or disappearance of at least 53 United States citizens;
(12)
the Muslim Brotherhood functions as a global organization and provides material support to Muslim Brotherhood branches in countries and territories by providing political support, financial resources, training, services, expert advice, and communications assistance; and
(13)
Muslim Brotherhood branches have sought to destabilize and undermine United States allies and partners throughout the Middle East, including in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, and have been outlawed as a terrorist group by the governments of those countries.; and
(2)
in subsection (b), by striking the PLO and its affiliates are a terrorist organization and
and replacing with the PLO, the Muslim Brotherhood, and their affiliates are terrorist organizations and are
.
(b) Prohibitions
Section 1003 of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987 (22 U.S.C. 5202) is amended—
(1)
in the section title, by striking PLO
and inserting the PLO and the Muslim Brotherhood
;
(2)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking or any of its
and inserting , the Muslim Brotherhood, or any of their respective
; and
(3)
by striking or any of its
each place such phrase appears and inserting , the Muslim Brotherhood, or any of their
.
(c) Termination
Section 1005(b) of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987 (22 U.S.C. 5201 note) is amended by inserting , with respect to prohibitions regarding the PLO,
after this title
.
(d) Immigration restrictions
The Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987 (22 U.S.C. 5201 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
1006. Mandatory ineligibility for visas, admission, or parole for Muslim Brotherhood members
The Secretary of State shall impose the sanctions authorized under section 306(b)(1) of the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 1741d(b)(1)) with respect to any foreign person the President determines, based on credible evidence, is a Muslim Brotherhood member, including the measures—
(1)
related to inadmissibility and ineligibility described in subparagraph (A) of such section; and
(2)
requiring the immediate revocation of current visas in accordance with subparagraph (B) of such section.
1007. Definitions
In this title:
(1) Foreign person
The term foreign person means an individual or entity that is not a United States person.
(2) Muslim brotherhood
The term Muslim Brotherhood means the Society of the Muslim Brothers (also known as
Jama'at al-Ikhwan al-Muslimin).(3) Muslim brotherhood branch
The term Muslim Brotherhood branch means any entity that is a branch, charity, or organization that is directly or indirectly owned or controlled, or otherwise directly or indirectly affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood including—
(A)
Hamas and Lajnat al-Daawa al-Islamiya; and
(B)
any other such organization operating in Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, France, Gaza, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Judea and Samaria, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Yemen, or in any other country or jurisdiction identified by the Secretary of State.
(4) Muslim brotherhood member
The term Muslim Brotherhood member means an individual who is a member of, under the control of, or serving as a representative of, the Muslim Brotherhood or a Muslim Brotherhood branch.
(5) United States person
The term United States person means—
(A)
a United States citizen;
(B)
a permanent resident of the United States;
(C)
a foreign national who is residing in the United States; and
(D)
an entity organized under the laws of the United States or of any jurisdiction of the United States, including a foreign branch of such an entity.
Sec. 3. Designation of Muslim Brotherhood entities as foreign terrorist organizations
(a) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Muslim brotherhood; muslim brotherhood branch; muslim brotherhood member
The terms Muslim Brotherhood, Muslim Brotherhood branch, and Muslim Brotherhood member have the meanings given such terms in section 1007 of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987, as added by section 2(d).
(2) Relevant congressional committees
The term relevant congressional committees means—
(A)
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
(B)
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.
(b) Annual report
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the relevant congressional committees that—
(1)
identifies all Muslim Brotherhood branches, including branches operating in the countries and jurisdictions described in section 1007(2)(B) of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987, as added by section 2(d); and
(2)
for each such Muslim Brotherhood branch, includes a determination of whether—
(A)
the Muslim Brotherhood branch has been designated pursuant to any of the authorities described in subsection (c); and
(B)
the activities of such Muslim Brotherhood branch meets the criteria for such designation, or whether such entities engaged in conduct that may be constitute a ground for such designation, pursuant to any of the authorities described in subsection (c).
(c) Authorities described
The authorities described in this subsection are the laws authorizing the designation of an entity as—
(1)
a foreign terrorist organization under section 219(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189(a)); or
(2)
a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13224 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism).
(d) Sanctions
(1) In general
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall impose the sanctions described in paragraph (3) with respect to the Muslim Brotherhood or any successor organization.
(2) Sanctions against muslim brotherhood branches
(A) In general
Not later than 30 days after the submission of each report pursuant to subsection (b), in the case of any positive determination made related to a Muslim Brotherhood branch the President shall impose—
(i)
the sanctions described in paragraph (3)(A) on any Muslim Brotherhood branch that has been designated pursuant to subsection (c)(2)(A); and
(ii)
the sanctions described in paragraph (3)(B) on any Muslim Brotherhood branch whose activities meet the criteria for such designation in accordance with subsection (b)(2)(B).
(B) Minimum period
The President may not remove the sanctions described in paragraph (3) from the Muslim Brotherhood during the 4-year period beginning on the date of the report in which such positive determination regarding a Muslim Brotherhood branch was made.
(3) Sanctions described
The sanctions described in this paragraph are—
(A)
designation as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189(a)); and
(B)
imposition of the sanctions applicable with respect to a foreign person pursuant to Executive Order 13224 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism).
(e) Form
The report required under subsection (b) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex, if appropriate.