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119-s-4526119th Congress

No Safe Haven for Terrorist Families Act

Sponsored By: Senator Cotton, Tom [R-AR]

Introduced

Summary

Creates a new inadmissibility and deportability ground for close relatives of designated foreign threat actors. This bill would apply that ground retroactively and to a specific list of family relationships including spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and nieces or nephews.

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  • Families and relatives: Close relatives defined by the bill would be inadmissible and removable, restricting their ability to obtain visas or remain in the United States.
  • Visa holders and applicants: The Secretary of State would have 30 days to revoke visas or other documentation after an inadmissibility finding. The Department of Homeland Security would prioritize removal proceedings and the bill largely bars cancellation of removal, adjustment of status, and other discretionary relief unless the bill allows otherwise.
  • Agencies and oversight: The bill would require enhanced screening within 180 days using intelligence, law enforcement, and sanctions databases. It would also require an annual report counting inadmissible aliens, revoked visas, removals, and waivers and it authorizes whatever funding is necessary to carry out these provisions.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Bar entry for relatives of terrorists

If enacted, this bill would make close relatives of certain designated foreign threat actors inadmissible to the United States. Covered relatives would include spouse or former spouse, parents (and parents‑in‑law), children and stepchildren, siblings (including half‑blood), grandparents, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Covered foreign threat actors would include people labeled under terrorism sanctions (for example, Specially Designated Global Terrorists), senior leaders of designated terrorist groups, senior officials of state sponsors of terrorism or certain foreign adversary countries (examples listed include Iran, China, Russia, North Korea, and Cuba), and people sanctioned for serious corruption or human rights abuses tied to hostile foreign governments. The rule would take effect on enactment and would apply to pending visa and status applications and to people already admitted or granted status.

Faster visa revocation for terrorist relatives

If enacted, the bill would require faster enforcement steps for people found to be covered relatives. The Secretary of State would have to revoke any visa or travel document within 30 days of an inadmissibility finding. The Secretary of Homeland Security would prioritize removal proceedings for those people and pursue removal under existing procedures. The State and Homeland Security departments would have to start enhanced screening using intelligence and sanctions databases within 180 days, DHS must report to Congress within one year and annually after that on counts and waivers, and Congress could appropriate such sums as may be necessary to carry out these rules.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Cotton, Tom [R-AR]

AR • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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