Mobile Courant

U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Tommy Tuberville, and John Cornyn have introduced the Visa Integrity Preservation Act. This legislation aims to close a loophole in current law that the Biden-Harris administration used to grant amnesty to illegal aliens who entered the United States without inspection or overstayed a visa.

"The Biden-Harris Administration’s unprecedented and blatant mass amnesty agenda and abuse of parole is wrong, irresponsible, and puts the safety and security of all Americans at risk," said Senator Britt. "The Visa Integrity Preservation Act would prevent the Administration from abusing nonimmigrant visas as a tool to grant amnesty—pouring even more fuel on their catastrophic border crisis."

Senator Tuberville criticized the administration's policies: "Horrible policies yield horrible results. The Biden-Harris administration has shown time and time again that they have no respect for the rule of law." He added that these actions create incentives for more people to enter the country illegally.

Senator Cornyn echoed these sentiments, stating, "For almost four years, the Biden-Harris administration has waived their magic amnesty wand to create unlawful programs that allow any and every person to enter and stay in the U.S. – legally or not." He emphasized that the new legislation would strengthen existing laws and preserve the integrity of employment-based nonimmigrant visa programs.

The bill is also cosponsored by Senators Ted Cruz, Thom Tillis, Jim Risch, Mike Crapo, Ted Budd, Dan Sullivan, Steve Daines, Bill Hagerty, Pete Ricketts, James Lankford, and Marsha Blackburn.

Current U.S. immigration laws do not allow illegal aliens who overstay their visas to reenter for up to 10 years if they leave. Those who enter illegally are barred from reentry once they leave. Temporary visa applicants must interview abroad at a U.S. consulate before receiving their visas. The Secretary of State can waive this requirement only on a case-by-case basis where it is in the national interest or during emergencies.

In June 2024, the Biden-Harris administration announced an initiative granting amnesty to over half a million illegal border crossers. This included waiving consular interview requirements for nonimmigrant visas for certain spouses of American citizens. The Visa Integrity Preservation Act seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to ensure that those who have entered illegally or overstayed their visas are not eligible for such waivers.

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and serves on several committees including Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.