H.R. 8182 — Banning Perpetrators of Religious Persecution Act of 2026

This section revises sec. 212(a)(2)(G) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to render inadmissible any alien who—(1) while serving as a foreign government official, was responsible for or directly carried out particularly severe violations of religious freedom (as defined in sec. 3(13) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), i.e., systematic, ongoing, egregious acts like torture or prolonged detention for religious reasons); or (2) at any time outside the United States, directed, authorized, significantly supported, participated in, was responsible for, or carried out particularly severe violations of religious freedom or violations of religious freedom (as defined in IRFA sec. 3(16), i.e., restrictions on religious practice or belief). It further requires the Secretary of State to publish on a public Department of State website the names of all such inadmissible aliens and the countries or locations of the violations, notwithstanding INA confidentiality requirements. The Secretary may exclude any alien from public disclosure if it would have adverse foreign policy consequences (in the Secretary's sole discretion), but must then include a semiannual explanation in reports to Congress required under sec. 51(a) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2723(a)) (i.e., the existing semiannual reports detailing visas issued to aliens inadmissible due to terrorist activity).