Sponsors (2)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Creates a new deportable-offense category for "unlawful protest-related activities." An alien convicted of one of the specified protest-related crimes would have any visa immediately cancelled and must be removed from the United States within 60 days of conviction. The change applies to people in the U.S. who hold visas and are convicted of the listed protest-related offenses.
Adds a new subparagraph (G) titled "Unlawful protest-related activities" to section 237(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2)).
Defines one category of unlawful protest-related activities as any crime related to the alien’s conduct at and during the course of a protest (subclause (i)).
Defines a second category as crimes involving the defacement, vandalism, or destruction of Federal property (subclause (ii)).
Defines a third category as crimes involving the intentional obstruction of any highway, road, bridge, or tunnel (subclause (iii)).
Requires that any visa issued to an alien who is convicted of a deportable crime described in section 237(a) (as amended) shall immediately be cancelled.
Last progress June 10, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 10, 2025 by Thomas Bryant Cotton
Who is affected and how:
Noncitizens who participate in protests (including temporary visa holders, foreign visitors, and possibly other noncitizens) face immediate immigration consequences if convicted of the listed protest-related offenses: their visas would be cancelled and they would be required to be removed within 60 days.
Federal immigration enforcement agencies (e.g., DHS/ICE, consular offices) would be responsible for cancelling visas and carrying out removals on the accelerated timeline, which may increase operational workload and case-processing pressure.
Immigration courts and adjudicators would see more removal cases triggered directly by criminal convictions; the 60-day removal timeline may compress case schedules and affect litigation and appeals timing.
Defense counsel, civil liberties groups, and community organizations that assist noncitizen protesters would be more frequently involved in post-conviction immigration relief efforts, parole requests, or stays of removal.
U.S. communities and protest organizers could experience chilling effects if participants face the risk of expedited removal following conviction. The provision may raise concerns among advocates about free-expression and due-process implications, particularly where convictions can lead to automatic immigration consequences.
The text as summarized does not specify funding, exceptions, or procedural safeguards; practical impact will depend on how agencies apply existing immigration law and on subsequent implementing guidance or litigation.