Topic: Passport Revocation

Texas Congressman Ted Poe introduced the "FTO Passport Revocation Act" to strip the passports of Americans fighting for ISIS. The hosts discuss the constitutionality of this move, noting that the Yale Law Journal previously argued there is no current legal authority to revoke passports for such reasons, including in the case of Edward Snowden.

The hosts discuss the legality of the State Department revoking Edward Snowden's passport. They cite a Yale Law Journal article arguing that a U.S. citizen has a constitutional right to a means of identification while abroad and that the government lacks the legal precedence to cancel a passport without contesting citizenship in court.

The hosts criticize Glenn Greenwald's reporting on Edward Snowden, specifically the claim that a revoked passport prevents international travel. They cite State Department rules suggesting a revoked passport only affects re-entry to the U.S. and discuss the grounding of Bolivian President Evo Morales' plane as a significant escalation in the hunt for Snowden.

The legal implications of passport revocation are examined following the State Department's action against Edward Snowden. According to official guidelines, a revoked passport remains physically valid for travel until seized by an officer, and revocation is generally not processed if the bearer's whereabouts are unknown. The move is characterized as "messaging" rather than a functional barrier to international movement.