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The Truth:
President Obama amended Executive Order 12425
on December 16, 2009 which was originally written and authorized by
President Ronald Reagan in 1983.
Executive Order 12425 recognized
the International Criminal Police Organization or INTERPOL as a public
organization and granted them certain privileges and immunities. The
amendment written by President Obama lifted the limitations set down by Reagan and
Interpol's property and assets will no longer being subject to search
and confiscation. Also, the archived records of the international
police organization would be exempt from U.S. inspection. The
amendment is posted on the White House Website.
Click
for Executive Order.
According to the article listed in the
United States Code 288, the President of the United States has the
authority to grant diplomatic privileges to international organizations.
The original Executive Order 12425 by
President Reagan recognized INTERPOL but set limitations:
Executive Order
12425 of June 16, 1983
International Criminal Police Organizations
By virtue of the
authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and statutes of
the United States, including Section 1 of the International
Organizations Immunities Act (59 Stat. 669, 22 U.S.C. 288), it is hereby
ordered that the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL),
in which the United States participates pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 263a, is
hereby designated as a public international organization entitled to
enjoy the privileges, exemptions and immunities conferred by the
International Organizations Immunities Act; except those provided by
Section 2(c), the portions of Section 2(d) and Section 3 relating to
customs duties and federal internal-revenue importation taxes, Section
4, Section 5, and Section 6 of that Act. This designation is not
intended to abridge in any respect the privileges, exemptions or
immunities which such organization may have acquired or may acquire by
international agreement or by Congressional action.
Ronald Reagan
The White House,
June 16, 1983.
The December 16, 2009 amendment by
President Obama says:
Executive Order -- Amending
Executive Order 12425
EXECUTIVE ORDER
AMENDING EXECUTIVE ORDER 12425 DESIGNATING INTERPOL AS A PUBLIC
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION ENTITLED TO
ENJOY CERTAIN PRIVILEGES, EXEMPTIONS, AND IMMUNITIES
By the authority vested in me as
President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, including section 1 of the International Organizations
Immunities Act (22 U.S.C. 288), and in order to extend the appropriate
privileges, exemptions, and immunities to the International Criminal
Police Organization (INTERPOL), it is hereby ordered that Executive
Order 12425 of June 16, 1983, as amended, is further amended by deleting
from the first sentence the words "except those provided by Section
2(c), Section 3, Section 4, Section 5, and Section 6 of that Act" and
the semicolon that immediately precedes them.
BARACK OBAMA
THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 16, 2009.
This is not the first time that the
Reagan Executive Order has been amended. According to the
federal archives it was last amended in September 15, 1995 by
President William J. Clinton:
Executive Order 12971 of September
15, 1995
Amendment to Executive Order No.
12425
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the
laws of the United States of America, and in order to extend the
appropriate privileges, exemptions, and immunities upon the
International Criminal Police Organization (‘‘INTERPOL’’) it is hereby
ordered that Executive Order No. 12425 be amended by deleting, in the
first sentence, the words ‘‘the portions of Section 2(d) and’’ and the
words ‘‘relating to customs duties and federal internal-revenue
importation taxes’’.
William J. Clinton
The White House,
September 15, 1995.
updated 12/28/09 |
