Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says she is “deeply, deeply concerned” about the direction the president is going in allowing U-S families to offer private ransom payments for relatives kidnapped overseas.

Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, says the president is sending a mixed message. The federal government will continue its policy of not making ransom payments, but president signed an executive order creating a new office to deal with hostage families, including the facilitation of communications with terrorist groups that could theoretically be used to organize ransom payments.

Ernst says the president’s plan raises the risk for everyone.

Under the new directive from President Obama, families will not be prosecuted if they attempt to pay ransoms to get their relatives released.