The Countering Wrongful Detention Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the United States government's ability to prevent and respond to the wrongful detention of American citizens abroad, particularly when such detentions are used for political leverage. The primary objective is to deter both state and non-state actors from unlawfully holding U.S. nationals. Key provisions of the Act include the authority for the Secretary of State to designate a foreign country as a "State Sponsor of Unlawful or Wrongful Detention." This designation can occur if the country has unlawfully detained a U.S.