WASHINGTON (Chatnewstv.com) — The United States is implementing a new policy to restrict visa issuance to individuals involved in the mass killings and violence against Christians, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Tuesday.
The State Department’s new action, taken under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, will target individuals who have “directed, authorized, significantly supported, participated in, or carried out violations of religious freedom.” The policy will apply to Nigeria and other nations globally, and can be extended to immediate family members of those sanctioned.
Rubio’s press statement said the move was in response to ongoing violence against Christians by groups including “radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond.”
He attributed the strong stance to President Donald Trump.
“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries,” the statement quoted the president as saying.
The restrictions will apply broadly to any government or individual found to be engaged in violations of religious freedom.
