The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced a new visa restriction policy aimed at foreign government officials facilitating illegal immigration to the United States. This includes immigration, customs, and port authority officials who fail to enforce immigration laws or implement policies that enable illegal transit, particularly across the U.S.-Mexico border.
The policy, complementing the expanded 2024 3C policy targeting private sector actors, will remain in effect until these officials ensure proper law enforcement. The restrictions are based on Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and may also apply to certain family members.
This information comes from an official Press Statement from Marco Rubio, Secretary of State:
Announcement of a Visa Restriction Policy Targeting Foreign Officials and Others Facilitating Illegal Migration into the United States
Securing our nation’s borders is critically important to making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. Countries along migratory routes must do their part to prevent and deter the transit of aliens seeking to illegally enter the United States. Today, I am announcing a new visa restriction policy that will apply to foreign government officials, including immigration and customs officials, airport and port authority officials, and others believed to be responsible for knowingly facilitating illegal immigration to the United States, including through failure to enforce immigration laws or establishing and implementing policies and practices that knowingly facilitate the transit of aliens intending to illegally immigrate into the United States via the U.S. southwest border.
This new policy will complement our existing 3C policy, expanded in 2024, pertaining to private sector actors who knowingly provide transportation and travel services designed primarily for illegal aliens traveling to the United States.
These measures will continue until those officials take responsibility for ensuring there are policies in place and existing laws are enforced to prevent the transit of such individuals. America will not back down when it comes to defending our national security interests.
This visa restriction policy is pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which authorizes the Secretary of State to render inadmissible any alien whose entry into the Unites States “would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.” Certain family members may also be covered by these restrictions.