A bill 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 all visa applications before adjudication, and to provide for the immediate dissemination of visa revocation information.
Latest action · Jan 21, 2010 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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.
- IntroducedJan 21, 2010
- Passed SenateNot reached
- Passed HouseNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Amends the Homeland Security Act to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) 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.
Authorizes the Secretary of State (Secretary) 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 to approve a visa from overriding a revocation or refusal determination by the Secretary of Homeland Security.
Provides that the Secretary of Homeland Security: (1) shall review all visa applications and supporting documentation before adjudication; (2) shall have sole authority to issue, refuse, and revoke visas in Algeria, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Syria, Turkey, Venezuela, and Yemen; and (3) may designate additional consular posts and embassies for on-site personnel to review visa applications if national or homeland security interests warrant such designation.
States that if the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Secretary 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.
Cosponsors 6
Members who signed on, in the order they did. All signed on Jan 21, 2010.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-LA | David Vitter | Original | Jan 21, 2010 |
| R-FL | George S. LeMieux | Original | Jan 21, 2010 |
| R-GA | Johnny Isakson | Original | Jan 21, 2010 |
| R-TX | Kay Bailey Hutchison | Original | Jan 21, 2010 |
| R-KS | Pat Roberts | Original | Jan 21, 2010 |
| R-GA | Saxby Chambliss | Original | Jan 21, 2010 |
Actions 2
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jan 21, 2010Introduced in Senate
- Jan 21, 2010Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Related bills 2
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 3077 | Secure Visas Act | Related bill | Mar 4, 2010 |
| HR 4758 | Secure Visas Act | Related bill | Apr 26, 2010 |
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Immigration.
- Africa
- Algeria
- Asia
- Canada
- China
- Criminal justice information and records
- Department of Homeland Security
- Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
- Egypt
- Europe
- Germany
- Government information and archives
- Hong Kong
- Immigration
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Israel
- Jordan
- Judicial review and appeals
- Kuwait
- Latin America
- Lebanon
- Mexico
- Middle East
- Morocco
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- Syria
- Terrorism
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
- Venezuela
- Visas and passports
- Yemen
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jan 21, 2010Introduced in Senate
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.