Sponsors (2)
Introduced January 14, 2026 by Richard Lynn Scott · Last progress January 14, 2026
The bill increases U.S. leverage and security by barring foreign officials tied to human‑rights abuses, but does so at the cost of potential harms to innocent family members, risks of wrongful or politicized travel bans, and added administrative burdens.
Immigrants linked to human-rights abuses or anti-democratic actions in Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, or Bolivia are more likely to be barred from entering the U.S., reducing the presence of potentially abusive foreign officials on U.S. soil.
The United States gains stronger leverage to deter human-rights abuses by imposing targeted travel restrictions on perpetrators and their immediate family members.
U.S. visa policy is brought into closer alignment with existing sanctions and Kingpin/Executive Order designations, improving interagency consistency in restricting abusive actors.
Spouses and children of targeted individuals (who may have committed no wrongdoing) can be denied visas or admission, disrupting families and raising civil‑liberties concerns.
There is a risk of erroneous or politically motivated designations that could block lawful travel or asylum claims, harming people who contest the findings.
Restricting travel for designated persons may complicate U.S. engagement at the United Nations and create case‑by‑case burdens for UN visits, potentially affecting diplomacy and international cooperation.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Imposes visa bans and revocations on current or former officials, agents, and certain family members tied to the governments of Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Bolivia for involvement in human rights abuses, repression, or actions that undermine democracy or sovereignty. It makes those individuals inadmissible to the United States, ineligible for visas or immigration benefits, subject to expedited removal, and requires the State Department to consult other agencies when making decisions for travel to the United Nations; the President must issue implementing regulations and licenses as needed.