Senators Call for Denial of U.S. Visas to Religious Persecutors

Across the globe today, millions of believers face violence, imprisonment, and intimidation simply because they worship according to their conscience. Churches are destroyed. Pastors are kidnapped. Entire communities are driven from their homes.

When religious persecution reaches that level, the United States cannot look the other way. That is why recently introduced legislation in the United States Senate is so important, and why the ACLJ supports this policy change. 

Senator Ted Budd (NC) introduced S. 3679, legislation that would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to prohibit visas for foreign individuals responsible for significant violations of religious liberty. In simple terms, those who persecute people of faith abroad should not be allowed to enter the United States.

Senator Budd has been joined by Senators Blackburn (TN), Moody (FL), Cotton (AR), Banks (IN), Kennedy (LA), Lankford (OK), and Cruz (TX) as cosponsors of this effort.

This commonsense measure reinforces a principle that should unite Americans across political lines: America must stand with the persecuted, not the persecutors.

Our American experiment rests on the foundational principle that rights come from God, not government. The First Amendment protects the free exercise of religion because our nation recognizes that faith must be practiced freely, without coercion or punishment from the state. Unfortunately, many regimes across the globe take the opposite approach.

Nigeria has become the epicenter of anti-Christian violence in Africa. Extremist groups such as Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa Province, and armed Fulani militants have repeatedly targeted Christian villages, churches, and clergy. Entire communities have been wiped out in coordinated attacks. In recent years alone, thousands of Nigerian Christians have been killed and many more displaced from their homes.

Take action with the ACLJ. Sign our petition: Stop the Genocide of Christians in Nigeria.

What is unfolding is not random violence. It is a sustained campaign of terror against believers whose only “crime” is their faith.

The United States has already recognized the severity of this crisis. With our support, President Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act because of what were described as “systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations.”

That designation acknowledges that religious persecution in Nigeria has reached a level that demands real accountability. And the United States is taking additional steps to ensure persecutors face consequences.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed a review of visa authorities under the Immigration and Nationality Act to ensure individuals involved in religious persecution are denied entry into the United States. These visa restrictions are designed to identify foreign officials and actors who participate in or enable religious persecution and hold them accountable.

The legislation introduced by Senator Budd reinforces and strengthens Rubio’s effort by saying we should enshrine it in federal law. It sends a clear message that individuals responsible for persecuting believers abroad should not be welcomed into the United States.

The visa restrictions proposed in this legislation are a targeted and effective accountability tool. Rather than imposing broad sanctions that may impact innocent populations, it focuses consequences directly on those who direct or enable religious persecution.

When America takes action to defend religious freedom, it encourages other nations to uphold the same standard. S. 3679 strengthens that leadership by ensuring that those responsible for persecuting believers cannot enjoy the privilege of entering the United States. It affirms that religious liberty is not negotiable and that violations of this fundamental right will carry consequences.

When a government official, militia leader, or bureaucrat knows that participating in religious persecution could result in personal consequences, including losing access to travel to the United States, it creates a powerful deterrent. The principle behind this legislation is straightforward: People who violate religious liberty should not benefit from the freedoms they deny to others.

The ACLJ has long worked to defend persecuted Christians and other religious minorities across the globe. Supporting policies like this one reflects that commitment to protecting faith communities and upholding America’s constitutional values.

The persecution unfolding in Nigeria is not hidden from the world. The evidence is clear. Churches are being destroyed. Christians are being targeted. Entire communities are living under the constant threat of violence.

At the ACLJ, we refuse to remain silent while believers suffer for their faith. Through legal advocacy, international engagement, and public pressure, we are working to ensure the United States stands firmly with the persecuted — not the persecutors.

The ACLJ will continue working alongside leaders in Congress and the Administration to defend persecuted Christians and religious minorities around the world.

Take a stand for persecuted Christians alongside us. Sign our petition: Stop the Genocide of Christians in Nigeria.