Texas Senator Ted Cruz Moves Forward With Bill To Ban American ISIS Fighters From Returning To The U.S. [Video]

On Friday, January 23, Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz filed for new legislation to ban American citizens who leave the country to fight overseas with the Islamic State (IS) and any other terrorist groups that may pose a significant threat to the United States.

According to the Washington Free Beacon, Senator Cruz’s proposed bill was originally introduced last year. Those citizens who leave the country to fight would be stripped of the United States citizenship. Back in September, he released a statement in regards to the debate on foreign policy and the Expatriate Terrorist Act (ETA) bill he’s proposing.

“Americans who choose to go to Syria or Iraq to fight with vicious ISIS terrorists are party to a terrorist organization committing horrific acts of violence, including beheading innocent American journalists who they have captured,” Cruz said. “There can be no clearer renunciation of their citizenship in the United States, and we need to do everything we can to preempt any attempt on their part to re-enter our country and carry out further attacks on American civilians.”

It has been reported that Senator Cruz’s decision to move forward with the proposed bill was partially motivated by President Obama’s State of the Union speech. He recently shared his opinion on a flawed Obama/Clinton foreign policy. He feels prohibiting American ISIS fighters from reentering the country brings the United States one step closer to rebuilding its image, reports Liberty News Online.

“”What’s happening in Iraq is the latest manifestation of the failures of the Obama/Clinton foreign policy. What ISIS is doing in Iraq is unspeakable. ISIS is the face of evil. ISIS right now is crucifying Christians in Iraq. Crucifixion is not something that just occurred 2,000 years ago. They are doing it right now today. ISIS is beheading children who are Christians in Iraq.

“President Obama’s approach to foreign policy refuses to acknowledge the threats our enemies pose to our national security — it is detached from reality and making the world a more dangerous place. We’ve seen the grave consequence of the Obama-Clinton-Kerry foreign policy unravel with respect to Iran, Russia, and now Yemen. These consequences are not confined to faraway lands. They directly threaten America and our allies.

“That is why this week, I am re-filing the Expatriate Terrorist Act, which prevents Americans who have fought abroad for designated terrorist groups from returning to the United States. I look forward to working with senators on both sides of the aisle on this and additional measures to secure our nation and restore America’s leadership in the world.”

On Tuesday, January 20, following the State of the Union speech, Senator Cruz’s administration also released a video response to the president’s statements about terrorism and foreign policy. The 49-second clip, titled “It’s Time to Face Reality,” questions President Obama’s perspective in regards to foreign policy. The Obama administration was also criticized for the way they’ve chosen to handle the ongoing threat of terrorism. Overall, Cruz argues that President Obama has not taken a realistic approach to rectifying the problems at hand.

However, FBI Director James Comey feels otherwise. Back in October, he discussed the same issue on 60 Minutes and stated that Americans who choose to travel overseas to fight for ISIS are “entitled” to reenter the United States regardless of their actions.

Do you agree or disagree with Ted Cruz on banning American ISIS fighters from returning to the states? Share your thoughts.

[Image(s) via Facebook, ScrapeTV]