SEVER Act
This bill, titled the Strengthening Entry Visa Enforcement and Restrictions Act (SEVER Act), would expand the grounds on which the United States can deny admission to individuals who are representatives to the United Nations. Specifically, it directs the denial of entry visas to UN representatives who are subject to sanctions enacted under Executive Order 13876 (Iran-related sanctions). The change is accomplished by amending a provision in the Foreign Relations Authorization Act from the 1990-1991 fiscal years to include those sanctioned under EO 13876 (as of September 16, 2025) among the people who can be denied admission. In short, the bill makes sanctions-based visa denial for UN representatives part of U.S. policy enforcement. What is provided in the full text excerpt is limited to this specific amendment; it does not include additional sections beyond Section 2, so the analysis focuses on this change and its immediate effect.
Key Points
- 1Short title: The bill is named the “Strengthening Entry Visa Enforcement and Restrictions Act” or the “SEVER Act.”
- 2Primary change: It adds a new ground to deny admission to the United States for certain individuals—their status as UN representatives who are subject to sanctions under Executive Order 13876.
- 3Source of grounds: The ground comes from amending Section 407(a)(1) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 (Public Law 101-246).
- 4Specific amendment: The amendment replaces the conjunction “; and” with a clause that includes “, or is subject to sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13876 (as in effect on September 16, 2025)” to expand visa denial eligibility.
- 5Time frame reference: The sanction basis is tied to the status of EO 13876 as of September 16, 2025 (i.e., it uses the then-current sanctions regime to determine who is ineligible).