Amal Clooney, a prominent human rights attorney, may face restrictions on entering the United States due to her role in the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024. Clooney resides part-time in the U.S. with her husband, actor George Clooney, and their twin daughters.
The UK Foreign Office has alerted several senior British barristers, including Amal Clooney, about potential sanctions from the Trump administration related to the case.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order in February 2025, imposing sanctions on ICC officials, employees, and their families. The order includes financial penalties and visa restrictions for those linked to the court’s decisions.
ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan is currently the only individual explicitly mentioned in Trump’s executive order. Khan advocated for the court to issue arrest warrants against the Israeli leaders in May 2024.
If targeted by these sanctions, Amal Clooney, who is of Lebanese descent and holds British citizenship, could be barred from entering the U.S., where she lives with George Clooney, whom she married in September 2014, and their seven-year-old twins.
Clooney was instrumental in the ICC’s decision after joining a panel of international legal experts last year to assess evidence of alleged war crimes in Israel and Gaza.
The panel unanimously agreed that the ICC had jurisdiction over crimes committed during the conflict between Israel and Hamas and recommended accountability for both Hamas and Israeli leaders.
In November 2024, the ICC determined there were “reasonable grounds” to believe Netanyahu and Gallant “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable for their survival,” as stated in court documents.
The arrest warrants accuse Netanyahu and Gallant of “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare, as well as crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.”
The ICC also sought an arrest warrant for Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, involved in the October 7, 2023, attack that caused approximately 1,200 deaths in Israel and 251 hostages taken. Israeli authorities later confirmed Deif died in a targeted strike in July 2024, with Hamas confirming his death on January 30, 2025. The ICC canceled the arrest warrant on February 26, 2025, after the confirmation.
Netanyahu and Gallant now face potential arrest in any of the 124 nations that have ratified the 1998 Rome Statute, including Austria, the United Kingdom, and France.
President Trump has expressed strong opposition to the ICC’s actions. His executive order stated that the ICC engaged in “illegitimate and baseless actions” by asserting jurisdiction over U.S. and Israeli personnel, neither of which are parties to the ICC’s Rome Statute.
The executive order claims that this conduct “threatens the sovereignty of the United States and undermines its national security and foreign policy work, as well as that of its allies.”
The sanctions have faced significant international criticism, with many countries, including European allies, supporting the ICC as an essential part of the international justice system.
The ICC condemned the sanctions, calling on member states to oppose them. A spokesperson stated, “These measures represent a serious attack on the court’s judicial independence.”
The situation presents a complex personal dilemma for Amal Clooney. While the Clooneys primarily reside in Britain and Italy, they also own homes in the U.S. George Clooney is currently acting on Broadway in New York City, New York, where the family has temporarily relocated. He is appearing in “Good Night, and Good Luck” at the Winter Garden Theater, with previews starting on March 12, 2025, the official opening on April 3, 2025, and the show running until June 8, 2025.
The Clooneys have had a contentious relationship with President Trump, with George Clooney having publicly criticized Trump during his presidential campaigns.
The British Foreign Office has reportedly advised Amal Clooney and other British legal professionals involved in the ICC’s decision about the potential impact of the sanctions on their U.S. travel eligibility.
The ICC serves as a court of last resort to prosecute individuals suspected of war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide when national courts are unwilling or unable to act. Neither the United States nor Israel recognizes the ICC’s authority or jurisdiction.
Netanyahu and the Israeli government have condemned the ICC’s actions as “antisemitic” and politically motivated, arguing that their military operations in Gaza were in self-defense following the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. The sanctions have raised concerns about their potential impact on the ICC’s operations and its ability to deliver justice for victims of international crimes. Human rights groups warn that the sanctions might deter victims from testifying and hinder the ICC’s technical and operational capabilities.
