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119-s-398119th Congress

NO BAN Act

Sponsored By: Senator Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]

Introduced

Summary

Would limit the President's power to bar entry based on national origin or religion. The bill would expand nondcrimination protections to immigrant and nonimmigrant visa processing, admission, and immigration benefits and impose strict limits on class-based entry suspensions.

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  • Families and travelers: It would add religion as a protected characteristic and bar national-origin discrimination in visa decisions, entry, and benefit approvals. It creates a rebuttable presumption in favor of family-based and humanitarian waivers.
  • Executive branch and airlines: It would restrict use of section 212(f) by requiring a compelling government interest, narrow tailoring, the least restrictive means, and a specified duration. It also transfers authority to suspend entry for commercial airlines that fail document-fraud rules to the Department of Homeland Security.
  • Oversight and legal remedies: The State Department and DHS must consult with Congress and provide a briefing and written report within 48 hours or the restriction ends. Individuals and entities unlawfully harmed by a restriction could sue in federal court, including class actions.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Ban discrimination in immigration decisions

If enacted, the bill would bar using national origin, sex, or religion when officials decide immigrant or nonimmigrant visas, admission, or other immigration benefits. Officials could still follow narrow, listed statutory exceptions. This would give applicants and families added legal protections against those bases of discrimination.

Airlines could face passenger bans

If enacted, the bill would let the Secretary of Homeland Security suspend entry of some or all people carried by a commercial airline that fails to follow DHS rules to detect fraudulent passenger documents. Failures could include poor training for spotting fake travel papers. This aims to protect border security but could delay travel for passengers on noncompliant airlines.

New limits and checks on travel bans

If enacted, the bill would restrict when the President can suspend or limit entry of a class of aliens. Officials must base actions on specific, credible facts and a compelling interest, use the least restrictive means, set a time limit, and consider waivers (favoring family and humanitarian waivers). Before a suspension, the Secretary of State and DHS must consult with Congress and then brief and file a written report within 48 hours. The bill would also require detailed reports every 30 days while a restriction is in effect, and a restriction ends if required reports or briefings are not provided unless Congress acts. People in the United States harmed by a 212(f) violation could sue in federal court, and such lawsuits may proceed as class actions.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]

DE • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]

    ME • I

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

    NH • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]

    VT • I

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]

    VT • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 2/4/2025

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 2/5/2025

  • Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 3/4/2025

  • Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2025

  • Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 10/16/2025

  • Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 10/16/2025

  • Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 10/16/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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