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S 2944 111th Congress Senate 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 Indonesia Iraq Israel Jordan Judicial review and appeals Kuwait

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.

Introduced: January 21, 2010 Introduced by: Cornyn, John Republican · Texas See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jan 21, 2010
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Jan 21, 2010
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

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.

What's happening now January 21, 2010

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2