Biden signs executive order 'to bring hostages and wrongfully detained' Americans home


President Biden on Tuesday signed an executive order aimed at deterring the wrongful detention of U.S. nationals in foreign countries, CNBC reports.
"This executive order reflects the administration's commitment not just to the issues generally but to the families in particular and it has been informed by the government's regular engagements with them," a senior administration official said.
The order empowers the government to impose sanctions on individuals involved in hostage-taking, adds a new State Department travel advisory to warn American travelers about the risk of wrongful detention, and provides more information to the families of Americans who have been wrongfully detained in foreign countries.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Biden signed the order after facing criticism for failing to do more to secure the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who pleaded guilty to drug charges earlier this month and could face up to 10 years in Russian prison. Griner was arrested in February at an airport near Moscow after authorities reportedly discovered a vape cartridge containing cannabis in her luggage. Russian media have floated the idea of swapping Griner for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is serving a 25-year sentence in the United States.
Just days before pleading guilty, Griner sent Biden a handwritten letter begging him not to "forget about me."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin on August 1, with rates ranging from 25% to 40% on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration