No Hezbollah In Our Hemisphere Act

This bill aims to curb Hezbollah’s activity in Latin America by pushing the U.S. government to identify places that give terrorists a safe haven and by tightening U.S. visa rules for certain foreign officials. Within 180 days, the State Department and other agencies must review Latin American countries and report which ones act as “terrorist sanctuaries,” based on factors like whether Hezbollah or other terrorist groups operate, raise money, recruit, or find safe haven there. The bill also urges stronger diplomacy: press governments to end impunity, improve their laws against terror financing, use tools like the Financial Action Task Force to greylist entities that help Hezbollah, and encourage more countries to formally label Hezbollah as a terrorist group.

If a place is designated a terrorist sanctuary, the President may block entry to the United States for its government officials and revoke any current U.S. visas they hold, effective immediately. There are narrow exceptions to meet important law enforcement needs or to comply with U.N. Headquarters obligations. The President can grant short-term waivers for national interest or security and must report these to Congress. Sanctions can be ended if the person stops the behavior or for national security reasons, and all sanctions under the bill end five years after it becomes law. The State Department must also set implementing rules within 180 days .

Key points

• Who is affected: Foreign government officials from any Latin American place identified as a terrorist sanctuary; U.S. agencies handling visas and security; Latin American governments urged to act against Hezbollah .
• What changes: A 180-day review to spot terrorist sanctuaries; visa bans and fast revocations for certain officials; limited exceptions; possible short-term waivers with advance notice to Congress; rulemaking to put this into practice; all sanctions sunset after five years .
• When: Reviews and implementing rules due within 180 days; waivers can be granted case by case; sanctions end five years after enactment .