S. 2944: 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.
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S. 2944: 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.
111th Congress · introduced 2010-01-21 · Immigration · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2010-01-21 · official record
- Who proposed it: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
- If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.
Official title
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.
Plain summary
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.
Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.
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A “Yea” vote
If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.
A “Nay” vote
If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.
PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).
What does this mean? (plain words)
Official text
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.
Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
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Alternatives
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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] · 6 cosponsors
Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.
Cosponsors on this site
Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] reported raising $8.6 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.
No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.
Words on this page, explained (3)
- Authorization
- A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
- Bill
- A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
- Securities
- Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111s2944.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/s>
Record fed-us-cong111-s2944 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111