In the
United States Code, the IEEPA is Title 50, §§1701–1707.
[3] The IEEPA authorizes the president to declare the existence of an "unusual and extraordinary threat... to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States" that originates "in whole or substantial part outside the United States."
[4] It further authorizes the president, after such a declaration, to block transactions and freeze assets to deal with the threat.[5] In the event of an actual attack on the United States, the president can also confiscate property connected with a country, group, or person that aided in the attack.[6]
The IEEPA falls under the provisions of the
National Emergencies Act (NEA), which means that an emergency declared under the act must be renewed annually to remain in effect.
The authority given to the President under the IEEPA does not grant them the ability to regulate or prohibit, directly or indirectly, any forms of personal communication (including means such as mail, telegraph or telephone), which “does not involve a transfer of anything of value;” imports or exports of information or any informational materials, “regardless of format or medium of transmission” (including but not limited to publications, films, posters,
phonograph records, photographs,
microforms, tapes,
compact discs,
CD-ROMs, artworks and
news wire feeds, and interpreted to include modern mediums such as
DVDs,
digital media content and
social media); certain donations “intended to be used to relieve human suffering” (such as food, clothing, and medicine); and any travel-related transactions (including importation of personal baggage, “maintenance within any country” including payment of living expenses and acquisition of goods or services intended for personal use, and arrangement or facilitation of such travel including non-scheduled air, sea, or land voyages).
[7]
