Skip to main content
HR 2626 115th Congress House Immigration Aviation and airports Border security and unlawful immigration Congressional oversight Criminal justice information and records Department of State Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad Higher education Immigration status and procedures Terrorism Visas and passports

Strong Visa Integrity Secures America Act

Introduced: May 24, 2017 See on congress.gov
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
 Everywhere this bill has been 7 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Aug 8, 2017
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 115-273, Part I.
Jul 26, 2017
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Jul 26, 2017
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Jun 26, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
Jun 15, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.
May 24, 2017
Introduced in House
May 24, 2017
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Strong Visa Integrity Secures America Act

This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assign, in a risk-based manner, DHS employees to at least 50 visa-issuing diplomatic and consular posts based upon the following criteria:

  • the number of nationals of a country in which such posts are located who were identified in U.S. terrorist databases,
  • such a country's counterterrorism cooperation with the United States,
  • the adequacy of border and immigration control of such country,
  • terrorist organization activity in such country, and
  • the number of negative security advisory opinions regarding nationals of such country.

Such employees shall, in addition to other duties, screen admissions applications against federal criminal, national security, and terrorism databases.

DHS shall:

  • establish within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a visa security advisory opinion unit to respond to Department of State requests for visa security reviews; and
  • provide, in a risk-based manner, for remote pre-adjudicated visa security assistance at at least 50 posts that are not assigned such employees.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall:

  • screen electronic passports at U.S. entry airports by reading each passport's embedded chip, and
  • utilize facial recognition or other biometric technology to screen travelers at such airports.

Electronic passport screening shall apply to U.S. citizens, nationals of a visa waiver program country, and nationals of any other foreign country that issues electronic passports.

Facial recognition or other biometric technology shall apply to nationals of a visa waiver program country.

CBP shall, in a risk-based manner, continuously screen individuals issued any visa and individuals who are visa waiver program nationals against criminal, national security, and terrorism databases.

The annual visa overstay report is revised.

DHS shall (1) ensure that certain foreign student information is available at each U.S. port of entry to CBP officers, (2) review the social media accounts of certain visa applicants who are citizens or residents of high-risk countries, and (3) review open-source information of visa applicants.

What's happening now August 8, 2017

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 115-273, Part I.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Republican 2