Bill Summary
The "No Relief for Allies of Dictators Act of 2026" is a proposed legislation aimed at imposing visa restrictions on individuals associated with authoritarian regimes in Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Bolivia. The Secretary of State is authorized to revoke visas or deny entry to individuals who are found to be involved in human rights violations or actions that undermine democracy in these countries. This includes current and former officials of specific regimes, as well as their family members. The act also stipulates that individuals identified under certain existing U.S. laws related to narcotics and property blocking will face similar restrictions. Furthermore, it provides for expedited removal of these individuals from the U.S. and requires the President to establish necessary regulations to enforce these provisions. The intent is to hold accountable those who support oppressive governments and to protect U.S. interests related to democracy and human rights in the region.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how the "No Relief for Allies of Dictators Act of 2026" could affect people:
1. **Impact on Individuals Associated with Regimes**: Individuals who are identified as officials or associates of the governments in Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, or Bolivia may find themselves unable to enter or remain in the United States. This could affect their ability to travel for business, family visits, or other personal reasons, leading to isolation and potential economic consequences for them and their families.
2. **Effect on Families of Officials**: The act includes provisions that extend visa restrictions to the spouses and children of individuals linked to the specified regimes. This means that even family members who may not have participated in any wrongdoing could face difficulties in obtaining visas to the U.S. This could create significant emotional and logistical challenges for mixed-status families, where some members may be unable to travel or reunite with their loved ones.
3. **Consequences for Diplomatic Relations**: The legislation may also strain diplomatic relations between the United States and the countries mentioned, as the targeted individuals may be high-ranking officials or influential figures within their governments. This could lead to retaliatory measures from those governments, affecting not only political relations but also economic ties and cooperation on other international issues, ultimately impacting citizens in both the U.S. and the affected countries.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3641 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3641
To revoke the visas of, and impose visa restrictions on, certain
individuals located in the United States and abroad who are associated
with regimes in Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Bolivia, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 14, 2026
Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To revoke the visas of, and impose visa restrictions on, certain
individuals located in the United States and abroad who are associated
with regimes in Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Bolivia, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``No Relief for Allies of Dictators
Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. VISA RESTRICTIONS FOR CERTAIN VENEZUELANS, CUBANS, NICARAGUANS,
AND BOLIVIANS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall revoke the visa of,
or impose visa restrictions on, any individual described in subsection
(b) who the Secretary determines--
(1)(A) is responsible for, is complicit in, is responsible
for ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing, or is
knowingly--
(i) committing human rights violations at any time
in Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, or Bolivia; or
(ii) participating in (directly or indirectly) any
activity in or in relation to Venezuela, Cuba,
Nicaragua, or Bolivia at any time that undermines or
threatens the integrity of the democracy or sovereignty
of, the people of Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, or
Bolivia; or
(B) is the spouse or child of a foreign person described in
subparagraph (A); or
(2)(A) is described in or identified under--
(i) section 804(b) of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin
Designation Act (21 U.S.C. 1903(b));
(ii) Executive Order 13850 (83 Fed. Reg. 55243;
relating to blocking property of additional persons
contributing to the situation in Venezuela); or
(iii) Executive Order 13884 (84 Fed. Reg. 38843;
relating to blocking property of the Government of
Venezuela); or
(B) is the spouse or child of a foreign person described in
subparagraph (A).
(b) Individual Described.--An individual described in this
subsection is any foreign person, located in the United States or
abroad, who--
(1) with respect to Venezuela, is--
(A) a former official of the Hugo Chavez regime; or
(B) a current or former official of the Nicolas
Maduro regime;
(2) with respect to Cuba, is--
(A) a former official of the Fidel Castro or Raul
Castro regime; or
(B) a current or former official of the Miguel
Diaz-Canel regime;
(3) with respect to Nicaragua, is--
(A) a current or former official of the Daniel
Ortega regime; or
(B) a Sandinista party member;
(4) with respect to Bolivia, is a former official of the
Evo Morales regime;
(5) acts on behalf of a regime or party described in any of
paragraphs (1) through (4);
(6) aids in repression by such regime or party; or
(7) assists such regime or party.
(c) Visa Restrictions Described.--
(1) Exclusion from the united states and revocation of visa
or other documentation.--An individual described in subsection
(b)--
(A) is inadmissible to the United States;
(B) is ineligible to receive a visa or other
documentation authorizing entry into the United States;
(C) is otherwise ineligible to be admitted or
paroled into the United States or to receive any
benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1101 et seq.); and
(D) shall--
(i) in accordance with section 221(i) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1201(i)), have his or her visa or other
documentation revoked, regardless of when the
visa or other documentation was issued; and
(ii) be subject to expedited removal.
(2) Applicability for individuals visiting united nations
headquarters.--In the case of an individual described in
subsection (b) who intends to travel to the United States to
visit the headquarters of the United Nations, the Secretary of
State, in consultation with the Director of National
Intelligence, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of
Homeland Security, shall make a case-by-case determination with
respect to the applicability of subsection (a) to such
individual.
(d) Rulemaking.--The President shall issue such regulations,
licenses, and orders as may be necessary to carry out this section.
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