Should immigrants be prevented from entering the country if officers have a reason to believe that they are or were spies?
Bill Summary
The Protecting America from Spies Act seeks to amend section 12 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to require immigration officers to consider if an immigrant is suspected to have engaged in espionage against the United States.
Sponsor: Sen. Ted Cruz (Republican, Texas)
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Opponents say
There are currently no official opposing statements to this bill since the bill was introduced recently. It has been referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. We will update this summary once more information is available.
Proponents say
• “For too long China and our competitors have been using non-traditional forms of espionage against our country without any consequences. The State Department’s recent closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston due to the Communist Chinese Party actively engaging in espionage and intellectual property theft was an important step, but more needs to be done. That’s why today my colleagues and I are introducing legislation to strengthen our laws and protect our national security by ensuring that any individuals who attempt to spy or steal from the United States and their family members are denied access to our country,”
Source: Sen. Ted Cruz (Republican, Texas)
• “The active espionage efforts of the Chinese Communist Party to steal intellectual property is unacceptable. This legislation will serve to both punish and deter additional efforts to undermine American leadership through intellectual property theft.” Source: Sen. Thom Tillis (Republican, North Carolina)
• “It is past time to stop known Chinese spies from coming back into our country. Current laws only allow individuals to be denied entry if the consular officer has knowledge of future espionage plans. Our country needs to be protected so known bad actors are not allowed to steal from us again. I thank my House colleagues for joining me in this effort, and Senators Cruz, Rubio, Tillis, and Loeffler for introducing the Senate companion bill.” Source: Rep. Vicky Hartzler (Republican, Missouri, District 4)
• “The active espionage efforts of the Chinese Communist Party to steal intellectual property is unacceptable. This legislation will serve to both punish and deter additional efforts to undermine American leadership through intellectual property theft.” Source: Sen. Thom Tillis (Republican, North Carolina)
• “It is past time to stop known Chinese spies from coming back into our country. Current laws only allow individuals to be denied entry if the consular officer has knowledge of future espionage plans. Our country needs to be protected so known bad actors are not allowed to steal from us again. I thank my House colleagues for joining me in this effort, and Senators Cruz, Rubio, Tillis, and Loeffler for introducing the Senate companion bill.” Source: Rep. Vicky Hartzler (Republican, Missouri, District 4)
