The United States has announced a visa ban on individuals found to have directed, authorised, supported, or participated in violations of religious freedom, a move that may also extend to their immediate family members.
The US Department of State disclosed the development on Wednesday in a statement titled “Combating Egregious Anti-Christian Violence in Nigeria and Globally.” It said the action was in response to widespread killings and attacks against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani militias, and other violent groups in Nigeria and other countries.
According to the statement, a new policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act empowers the State Department to deny visas to individuals linked to religious persecution, including those who significantly support or facilitate such abuses.
The department also referenced President Donald Trump’s position, noting that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria and numerous other countries.”
The policy, the statement added, would apply to Nigeria and any government or individual involved in acts violating religious freedom.
