This bill aims to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to restrict visa issuance for individuals involved in violations of religious freedom. It establishes new grounds for inadmissibility for aliens who, as foreign government officials, were responsible for or carried out particularly severe violations of religious freedom , or any alien who directed, authorized, supported, participated in, or carried out such violations outside the United States. A significant provision requires the Secretary of State to post the names of all aliens determined to be inadmissible under this clause, along with the locations of the violations, on a publicly accessible website of the Department of State. This aims to increase transparency regarding individuals implicated in religious persecution. However, an exception allows the Secretary of State to exclude an alien from public disclosure if it is determined, on a case-by-case basis, that such release would have adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States. In such instances, the Secretary must submit a semiannual report to Congress explaining the reasons for the exclusion.
Banning Perpetrators of Religious Persecution Act of 2026
USA119th CongressHR-8182| House
| Updated: 4/2/2026
This bill aims to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to restrict visa issuance for individuals involved in violations of religious freedom. It establishes new grounds for inadmissibility for aliens who, as foreign government officials, were responsible for or carried out particularly severe violations of religious freedom , or any alien who directed, authorized, supported, participated in, or carried out such violations outside the United States. A significant provision requires the Secretary of State to post the names of all aliens determined to be inadmissible under this clause, along with the locations of the violations, on a publicly accessible website of the Department of State. This aims to increase transparency regarding individuals implicated in religious persecution. However, an exception allows the Secretary of State to exclude an alien from public disclosure if it is determined, on a case-by-case basis, that such release would have adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States. In such instances, the Secretary must submit a semiannual report to Congress explaining the reasons for the exclusion.