Obama To Announce Changes To U.S. Hostage Policies

Obama To Announce Changes To U.S. Hostage Policies
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 19: U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during the 2015 United States Conference of Mayors on May 19, 2015 in Sacramento, California. The 83rd Annual Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors runs through June 22. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 19: U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during the 2015 United States Conference of Mayors on May 19, 2015 in Sacramento, California. The 83rd Annual Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors runs through June 22. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — President Obama on Wednesday will announce that the government will no longer threaten criminal prosecution of the families of American hostages who are held abroad by groups like the Islamic State if they attempt to pay ransom for the release of their loved ones. The change is one of many that are intended to fix what the administration has acknowledged is a broken policy on United States captives, a senior administration official said.

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