US to restrict visas of those responsible for anti-Christian violence
Caroline MolloyThe U.S. will impose new visa restrictions on anyone accused of orchestrating or enabling religious violence against Christians abroad, the State Department announced Dec. 3 in response to ongoing anti-Christian attacks in Nigeria and elsewhere.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X that the policy targets those who “knowingly direct, authorize, fund, support, or carry out violations of religious freedom,” including government officials who fail to stop attacks on Christian communities.
“The United States is taking decisive action in response to the mass killings and violence against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond,” Rubio said in a press release.
The policy is grounded in Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the Secretary of State to deny visas when he has “reasonable ground to believe” a person’s entry could cause “serious adverse foreign policy consequences.” The restrictions may also apply to certain family members of offenders, according to the release.
Sean Nelson, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom International, praised the visa policy as a long-needed enforcement tool. He said the move finally gives the U.S. government a functional tool to hold religious freedom abusers accountable.
Earlier visa bans under Section 212(a)(2)(G) were rarely applied because they required proving that a government official committed a “particularly severe” violation, he said.
According to Nelson, by rooting the new policy in Section 212(a)(3)(C), the State Department can now target a far broader range of actors, including officials and community leaders who enable or ignore routine persecution of Christians and other minorities.
