Secure Visas Act
Latest action · Apr 26, 2010 Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedMar 4, 2010
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Secure Visas Act - Amends the Homeland Security Act to grant the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) (Secretary), except for the Secretary of State's authority with respect to diplomatic- and international organization-related visas, exclusive authority to issue regulations, establish policy, and administer and enforce the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and all other immigration or nationality laws relating to U.S. consular officer visa functions.
Authorizes the Secretary to refuse or revoke any visa to an alien or class of aliens if necessary or advisable for U.S. security interests. Prohibits judicial review of such determinations. Provides that any such visa revocation shall become effective immediately and cancel any other visa in an alien's possession.
Authorizes the Secretary of State to direct a consular officer to refuse or revoke a visa if necessary or advisable for U.S. foreign policy interests.
Prohibits a decision by the Secretary of State to approve a visa from overriding a revocation or refusal determination by the Secretary.
Directs the Secretary to review on-site all visa applications and supporting documentation before adjudication at visa-issuing posts in Algeria, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in Israel, Jordan, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, and Yemen. Authorizes the Secretary to assign DHS employees to such posts.
States that if the Secretary or the Secretary of State revokes a visa: (1) the relevant consular, law enforcement, and terrorist screening databases shall be immediately updated; and (2) look-out notices shall be posted to all DHS port inspectors and Department of State consular officers.
Amends INA to eliminate the exception permitting judicial review of a visa revocation where such revocation is the sole ground for a deportation process based upon an alien's unlawful presence in the United States.
Cosponsors 7
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Mar 4, 2010 to Sep 29, 2010; 5 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-CA | Daniel E. Lungren | Original | Mar 4, 2010 |
| R-CA | Elton Gallegly | Original | Mar 4, 2010 |
| R-MS | Gregg Harper | Original | Mar 4, 2010 |
| R-FL | Gus M. Bilirakis | Original | Mar 4, 2010 |
| R-IA | Steve King | Original | Mar 4, 2010 |
| R-CO | Doug Lamborn | Mar 11, 2010 | |
| R-CA | Ken Calvert | Sep 29, 2010 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Judiciary Committee | Referred Mar 4, 2010 |
| Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee | Referred Apr 26, 2010 | |
| House | Homeland Security Committee | Referred Mar 4, 2010 |
| Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee | Referred Mar 19, 2010 |
Actions 6
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Apr 26, 2010Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
- Mar 19, 2010Referred to the Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism.
- Mar 4, 2010Introduced in House
- Mar 4, 2010Referred to House Judiciary
- Mar 4, 2010Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Mar 4, 2010Referred to House Homeland Security
In the Congressional Record 1
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E934 | Lamar Smith R-TX | May 25, 2010 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Printed hearings 1
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serial No. 111-116 | SHARING AND ANALYZING INFORMATION TO PREVENT TERRORISM107 pages | Judiciary Committee | Mar 24, 2010 |
Related bills 2
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State to refuse or revoke visas to aliens if in the security or foreign policy interests of the United States, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to review visa applications before adjudication, and to provide for the immediate dissemination of visa revocation information.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Secure Visas Act
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Immigration.
- Africa
- Algeria
- Asia
- Canada
- Colombia
- Criminal justice information and records
- Department of Homeland Security
- Egypt
- Europe
- Germany
- Government information and archives
- Hong Kong
- Immigration
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Israel
- Jordan
- Judicial review and appeals
- Kuwait
- Latin America
- Lebanon
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Middle East
- Morocco
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- Syria
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- Venezuela
- Visas and passports
- Yemen
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Mar 4, 2010Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
