1. United States
2. N.J.
3. Letter

VOTE NO on the so-called “International Governmental Organizations Anti-Boycott Act” (H.R. 867) over the threat it poses to First Amendment free speech rights. This dangerous bill threatens the rights of Americans to participate in internationally-led boycotts of Israel’s ongoing occupation, apartheid, and genocide of the Palestinian people. H.R. 867 would expand the Anti-Boycott Act of 2018 by criminalizing compliance with or support for boycotts called for by international governmental organizations (IGOs) such as the United Nations. Under this law, American individuals, businesses, or advocacy organizations could face civil penalties, criminal fines of up to $1 million, and even imprisonment of up to 20 years for aligning with internationally-backed calls to boycott Israel or companies complicit in its human rights abuses. The right to boycott is an intrinsic part of the First Amendment and a cornerstone of American democracy – from resisting British colonial rule to supporting civil rights and opposing apartheid in South Africa. That right must not be infringed. This bill would criminalize U.S. individuals and businesses who support peaceful, internationally-recognized calls for human rights accountability. It would chill constitutionally protected political speech and advocacy, particularly efforts to end U.S. complicity in Israel’s crimes against Palestinians. And it would set a dangerous precedent by empowering the federal government to punish Americans for exercising moral, ethical, and political convictions. It is part of a broader, escalating effort to silence dissent, from the illegal detention and attempted expulsion of student protesters, to the denial of visas, and the targeting of nonprofit organizations and community leaders. The federal government is increasingly using its power to criminalize advocacy and suppress voices of conscience.