The Defending American Property Abroad Act of 2024 targets Western Hemisphere countries with U.S. free trade agreements that have seized or expropriated American-owned property needed to access ports and harbors. Within 60 days of enactment, the Department of Homeland Security must identify and publish a list of such "prohibited properties" in consultation with the Treasury and State Departments. Once designated, the President must ban vessels that have used these ports from importing goods into the United States, docking passenger ships here, disembarking passengers, or conducting repairs and refueling in American ports. The bill also directs the U.S. Trade Representative to raise objections about such property seizures during negotiations under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement and requires annual reports to Congress for five years on how many vessels are affected and the economic impact of these foreign government actions. The law's provisions expire five years after enactment unless the President extends them based on whether the foreign governments reverse their seizures or national security concerns warrant continuation.
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