Protecting America From Spies Act
Sponsored By: Representative Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]
Introduced
Summary
Expands security-related inadmissibility. This bill would broaden the reasons a foreign national can be barred from the United States for suspected espionage, sabotage, export-control violations, planning or committing unlawful activity, or trying to oppose or overthrow the U.S. government.
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- Families: Spouses and children of an inadmissible person can also be denied entry if the activity that triggered inadmissibility occurred within the last 5 years.
- Visa applicants and other travelers: A consular officer, an immigration officer, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Attorney General could find someone inadmissible based on knowledge or reasonable belief that the person engaged, engages, or will engage in the listed security or export-related offenses.
- Waiver process: The bill would revise waiver rules to list specific non-waivable subparagraphs by reference (A(i)(I), A(ii), A(iii), A(iv), C, E(i), and E(ii) of paragraph (3)), narrowing which security-related grounds can be waived.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Stricter visa bars for security risks
If enacted, the bill would expand when the U.S. could deny a visa or entry. Consular or immigration officers, the Homeland Security Secretary, or the Attorney General could bar someone if they know, or reasonably believe, the person engages in spying or sabotage. It would also cover breaking or evading U.S. export rules on goods, technology, or sensitive information. People who seek to enter to do unlawful acts, or to try to oppose or overthrow the U.S. government by force or other illegal means, could be barred. A spouse or child could be barred if the conduct happened within the last 5 years. Waivers would be limited; several listed security grounds could not be waived. This would take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]
VA • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1]
MI • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Ogles, Andrew [R-TN-5]
TN • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3]
LA • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Green (TN)
TN • R
Sponsored 1/22/2025
Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14]
TX • R
Sponsored 1/28/2025
Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19]
FL • R
Sponsored 2/4/2025
Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6]
WI • R
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Luna, Anna Paulina [R-FL-13]
FL • R
Sponsored 8/29/2025
Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
FL • R
Sponsored 8/29/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov