Sanction Sea Pirates Act of 2025

The Sanction Sea Pirates Act of 2025 would authorize the President to impose sanctions against foreign individuals and entities determined to be knowingly engaged in piracy. Piracy is defined as illegal acts of violence, detention, or depredation committed for private ends by crews of private ships or aircraft on the high seas. The bill specifically addresses rising piracy threats off the Somali coast and in the Gulf of Aden, areas where shipping has faced increased attacks in recent years.

If enacted, the bill would give the President two main tools to punish pirates: visa sanctions that would make identified pirates ineligible to enter the United States and automatically revoke any existing visas, and property sanctions that would block and prohibit all transactions involving the property of identified individuals if that property is based in the U.S. or comes within U.S. jurisdiction. The bill includes exceptions for humanitarian assistance, international obligations such as United Nations treaties, and activities related to U.S. intelligence or national security.