Sponsor
Nancy Mace
Representative · R-SC
Representative · R-SC
The bill increases immigration-based entry restrictions to reduce perceived security risks while preserving narrow exceptions and built-in congressional oversight — at the cost of broad limits on humanitarian and family reunification, economic impacts for affected communities, and added legal and administrative burdens.
Lawful permanent residents, dual nationals, and certain vulnerable immigrants will still be allowed to enter despite the ban, protecting family unity and certain refugees/special immigrants from abrupt exclusion.
Noncitizens from the listed countries would be blocked from entry, which could reduce the risk of admitting individuals deemed security threats.
The law preserves case-by-case waivers and specific exemptions (including necessary witnesses and major-event participants), maintaining flexibility for critical national-security, diplomatic, and operational needs.
Nationals from 40 designated countries — including refugees and family members — would be categorically barred, sharply restricting humanitarian pathways and family reunification for large groups of migrants.
People outside the U.S. who lack a valid visa on enactment and applicants with pending cases could be barred or lose fair access, separating families and abruptly denying planned travel or immigration relief.
Individuals with travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority would be denied entry, directly impacting Palestinians who may be fleeing violence or seeking asylum.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Bars entry to the U.S. for nationals of 40 designated countries and Palestinian Authority travel-document holders, with specified exceptions and case-by-case waivers.
Official title: To prohibit aliens who are nationals of certain countries of identified concern from entering the United States, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 15, 2026 by Nancy Mace · Last progress July 15, 2026
Prohibits entry to the United States for noncitizens who are nationals of a specified list of 40 countries and for holders of Palestinian Authority travel documents, except as limited by the bill's exceptions and waiver authority. The ban applies only to people who are outside the United States on the date of enactment and who have not already been issued a valid visa. The bill creates six explicit exceptions (including lawful permanent residents, certain dual nationals, specific nonimmigrant categories, some athletes, certain special immigrants, and a limited religious/ethnic persecution immigrant visa exception for Iran), authorizes case-by-case waivers for critical national interest, requires recurring 180-day reports to Congress on the ban and exceptions, and includes a severability clause.