WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) has joined Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and several colleagues in reintroducing the Defending American Property Abroad Act of 2025. The legislation aims to deter and penalize nations within the Western Hemisphere that unlawfully seize American-owned assets.
This legislative effort is largely in response to ongoing disputes between Vulcan Materials Company, a Birmingham, Alabama-based firm, and the Mexican government over ownership and operational control of a deep-water port in Quintana Roo. Vulcan alleges that Mexican authorities have violated provisions of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) by seizing the port and other property using military force.
“The threats toward Vulcan’s lawfully permitted, U.S.-owned deep-water port from the Government of Mexico, even under a new president, have not ceased,” said Senator Britt. “Mexico continues to flagrantly violate international law with its actions, putting America’s and Alabama’s economic and national security at risk — and it won’t stand.”
Senator Hagerty added, “Under the leadership of Mexico’s previous president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and now the current president, Claudia Sheinbaum, the Mexican government is committing a blatant theft against a major American company and, by extension, the United States itself.”
The legislation would authorize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to bar entry into American ports for vessels that have used ports or infrastructure expropriated from U.S. companies. Additionally, it empowers the U.S. Trade Representative to investigate and respond to instances where U.S. companies are denied fair treatment or have their assets seized abroad.
Vulcan’s conflict with Mexican authorities dates back several years. In 2018, the company filed a NAFTA arbitration complaint, citing illegal land-use changes and disruptions to its operations. In May 2022, Vulcan’s production and port facilities were shut down by Mexican military forces. A subsequent military confiscation of the port occurred in March 2023.
Following the incident, Senator Britt joined other members of Alabama’s congressional delegation in engaging Mexican Ambassador Esteban Moctezuma. While the Mexican forces later withdrew, Vulcan continued to face threats of expropriation. In September 2024, Mexico seized the deep-water port again, prompting renewed legislative action.
The Defending American Property Abroad Act was originally introduced in the 118th Congress, with Senator Britt listed as a cosponsor. Its reintroduction comes amid bipartisan concern over the potential implications for U.S. businesses operating abroad and the precedent set by international property disputes.
