H.R. 6443 — Afghan SIV Termination and Security Review Act of 2025

This section states congressional findings concerning the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, including (1) its creation to protect individuals who assisted U.S. missions in Afghanistan, (2) deficiencies in vetting, documentation, and identity verification identified by Inspectors General reports, (3) the U.S. interest in rigorous security screening for all noncitizens admitted to the United States, and (4) Congress's plenary authority over noncitizen admissions and immigration categories.

This section terminates the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program—providing immigrant status to Afghan nationals (and certain family members) who were employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan—by (1) repealing its statutory authorization (sec. 602 of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009), (2) prohibiting new applications on or after the date of enactment, and (3) closing all pending unadjudicated applications without processing or approval. (Thus, no Afghan SIVs may be issued after enactment.)

This section directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, to conduct a comprehensive security reassessment of every individual currently admitted to the United States under the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program (i.e., for Afghans employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government). The reassessment includes (1) biometric re-enrollment, (2) updated criminal, terrorism, and intelligence database checks, (3) verification of all previously submitted identity documents, (4) re-verification of claimed service to the U.S. government or its contractors, and (5) in-person interviews where national-security indicators warrant. The Secretary must complete all reassessments within 18 months of enactment.

This section requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct individualized reviews of each Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) beneficiary—typically issued to Afghan nationals who supported U.S. government efforts—to determine whether the individual (1) remains eligible for SIV benefits, (2) is inadmissible or removable under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), (3) engaged in fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment of material facts during the SIV process, or (4) poses a national-security, public-safety, or terrorism-related concern. If any such determination is affirmative, the Secretary must initiate rescission of the individual's SIV status and removal proceedings consistent with due process and the INA. Cases involving national-security indicators must be prioritized for immediate action.

This section reallocates any outstanding appropriations for the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Program—which provides special immigrant visas to eligible Afghan nationals who supported U.S. government operations—to the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. (SSVF provides case management and assistance to prevent homelessness among low-income veteran families.)