HR 4397119th CongressIn Committee

Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025

Introduced: Jul 15, 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Diaz-Balart, Mario [R-FL-26] (R-Florida)

Defense & National Security

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

H.R. 4397, the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025, would require the President to designate the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and to designate MB-related entities or branches as terrorist organizations through existing authority (FTO designation under the Immigration and Nationality Act or the Specially Designated Global Terrorist framework under EO 13224). The bill would also expand prohibitions and immigration rules to cover MB members, mandate annual State Department reporting on MB branches and their designation status, and impose sanctions on MB and its branches. It would modify the 1987 Anti-Terrorism Act to explicitly include MB and its branches (including Hamas as a MB branch) in the list of terrorist organizations alongside the PLO, and it would impose a mandatory, multi-year framework that could restrict the removal of sanctions for MB for a four-year period after findings are made. Overall, the bill aims to formally classify MB and its global network as terrorist, with corresponding legal and immigration penalties and ongoing congressional oversight.

Key Points

1Designation mandate and expansion of terrorist designations
2- Requires the President to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization and to designate MB branches as terrorist organizations under existing authorities (FTO or SDGT).
3Expanded scope to MB branches and Hamas
4- Adds Hamas explicitly as a Muslim Brotherhood branch and broadens the definition of MB branches to include multiple international entities and affiliates across many countries.
5Immigration penalties for MB members
6- Creates mandatory ineligibility and visa-revocation measures for individuals who are MB members, applying sanctions against foreign persons who are MB members.
7Annual reporting to Congress
8- Requires the State Department to issue an unclassified annual report (with possible classified annex) identifying MB branches and assessing whether each branch has been designated or could be designated, and whether their activities meet designation criteria.
9Sanctions and timing
10- Increases sanctions: once MB branches are positively identified, the President must apply FTO designation and SDGT-type sanctions; there is a four-year minimum period during which sanctions cannot be removed from MB following positive determinations.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- The Muslim Brotherhood and its international branches (including Hamas as a MB branch), and MB members or affiliates worldwide. The law targets entities, individuals, and operations associated with MB and its affiliates.Secondary group/area affected- U.S. persons and entities, U.S. allies and partners with MB-related activities or affiliations, and U.S.-based charities or NGOs that may have MB connections (directly or indirectly). Immigration systems and visa processing for MB members would also be affected.Additional impacts- Financial and commercial sectors (due to FTO/SDGT-style sanctions), U.S. foreign policy and diplomatic relations with countries where MB operates or is active, and congressional oversight processes through annual State Department reporting. There could be broader implications for humanitarian or charitable actors if MB-linked groups are involved in activities in various regions. Potential legal and administrative complexity given the long list of MB branches and the interplay with existing designations (e.g., Hamas already designated as an FTO).

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