Nice little minimum security prison Uncle Sam is building here. Right now it seems so innocuous: you can't leave the country for limited reasons. Expect the reasons to expand in time. Scope creep is routine in Federal law. I am a tax lawyer, and I am disgusted. Land of the free, indeed. Peh.
"Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country. " [0] UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 13. Supported by the US, but not legal binding. "1. Everyone lawfully within the territory of a State shall, within that territory, have the right to liberty of movement and freedom to choose his residence. 2. Everyone shall be free to leave any country, including his…
Unfortunately, the quoted declarations are simply ignored by some signing countries.