A United States congresswoman has introduced legislation that would permanently bar nationals of Antigua and Barbuda — along with citizens of dozens of other countries — from entering the United States, according to Antigua News Room.
Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduced the Third World Immigration Moratorium Act, which would prohibit entry of aliens from a list of countries she says have repeatedly refused to cooperate with U.S. deportation orders, failed to provide adequate vetting information on their own citizens, and contributed to instability within American communities.
"The American people are done playing games and so are we. For too long, Washington has looked the other way while bad actors exploited every gap in our system and American families paid the price. Those days are over," said Congresswoman Mace. "If you import the third world, you will become the third world. This bill makes crystal clear: entry into the United States is a privilege, not a right. We make absolutely no apologies for defending it."
The legislation mirrors the country list outlined in President Trump's Proclamation Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States. The full list of affected nations includes: Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, as well as aliens holding travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority.
The bill does carve out targeted exceptions. Lawful permanent residents, dual nationals from non-designated countries, diplomatic and NATO treaty personnel, athletes competing in the World Cup, Olympics, or other major international sporting events, special immigrant visa holders — including those who served alongside U.S. forces — and individuals fleeing documented ethnic and religious persecution in Iran would all be exempt. The Secretary of Homeland Security would retain discretionary waiver authority in cases where entry serves a verified critical national interest.
"We are not a dumping ground for the third world's problems. This bill is a straightforward solution to keep dangerous aliens out and send a message to every country on this list: the free ride is over," Mace added.
As reported by Antigua News Room, the legislation would also require the Secretary of State — in consultation with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence — to report to Congress every 180 days on whether the prohibitions should be continued, modified, or expanded.
