H.R.3926 - Terrorist Inadmissibility Codification Act (119th Congress)
Summary
H.R. 3926, the Terrorist Inadmissibility Codification Act, seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to explicitly include members, officials, representatives, and spokespersons of Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda, Palestine Islamic Jihad, and ISIS, as well as individuals who endorse their terrorist activities, as being engaged in terrorist activity for immigration purposes. This would make such individuals inadmissible to the United States.
The bill aims to codify and expand existing inadmissibility criteria related to terrorism.
The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Expected Effects
The primary effect of this bill, if enacted, would be to broaden the scope of individuals deemed inadmissible to the United States due to their association with or support for specific terrorist organizations.
This would likely result in increased scrutiny of visa applications and border crossings for individuals with potential ties to these groups.
It could also lead to the deportation of individuals already in the US who are found to be affiliated with or supportive of these organizations.
Potential Benefits
- Enhanced national security by preventing individuals associated with terrorist organizations from entering the United States.
- Strengthened border control measures against potential threats.
- Increased public safety by reducing the risk of terrorist activities within the country.
- Alignment with existing counter-terrorism efforts and policies.
- Clearer legal framework for immigration officials to deny entry to individuals linked to designated terrorist groups.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential for overreach and misidentification of individuals, leading to unjust denial of entry or deportation.
- Possible negative impact on diplomatic relations with countries where these organizations have a presence.
- Risk of fueling anti-immigrant sentiment and discrimination against certain ethnic or religious groups.
- Increased administrative burden on immigration officials to investigate and verify affiliations with designated terrorist groups.
- Potential for legal challenges based on due process and freedom of association concerns.
Most Disadvantaged Areas:
Constitutional Alignment
The bill's alignment with the US Constitution is complex. While the federal government has broad authority over immigration and national security, as implicitly recognized in the Constitution's provisions for national defense and foreign policy, concerns may arise regarding individual liberties and due process under the Fifth Amendment.
The First Amendment's guarantees of freedom of speech and association could also be implicated if the bill is interpreted too broadly, potentially restricting lawful advocacy or association with groups that have both legitimate and illegitimate activities.
However, the government's power to protect national security may justify some restrictions on these rights in the context of immigration.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).