Stop Importing Terrorism Act
Stop Importing Terrorism Act
Plain Language Summary
# Stop Importing Terrorism Act Summary **What it would do:** This bill would make it harder for family members of people banned from entering the U.S. for terrorism-related reasons to gain admission themselves. Currently, spouses and children can sometimes enter the country if they didn't know about or renounce the terrorist activity. The bill would eliminate these exceptions, meaning relatives would be automatically barred regardless of their knowledge or actions.
It would also make people who were admitted under the current exceptions after January 2021 subject to deportation. **Who it affects:** The bill targets foreign nationals who are family members (spouses and children) of individuals with terrorism-related inadmissibility issues. It could also lead to deportation of family members already living in the U.S. who were previously allowed entry under the current exceptions. **Current status:** The bill was introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full House.
CRS Official Summary
Stop Importing Terrorism ActThis bill tightens U.S. admission restrictions on a spouse or child of certain individuals barred from the United States due to terrorist activity and makes deportable certain previously admitted individuals.Under current law, the spouse or child of an individual who is inadmissible to the United States due to terrorist activity is barred from admission to the United States if the terrorist activity occurred within the last five years. However, there is an exception that applies to a spouse or child of such an individual (1) who did not know or should not have reasonably known of the terrorist activity, or (2) whom the consular officer or the Department of Justice has reasonable grounds to believe has renounced such activity.The bill repeals this exception. The bill also deems deportable any individual admitted under this exception on or after January 20, 2021.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.