Land of the Free Act of 2025

Land of the Free Act of 2025 (H.R. 4959) would repeal a specific provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), namely section 237(a)(4)(C). The bill’s stated purpose, as reflected in its title and text, is to provide an “exception related to protected speech activities,” but the enacted text simply repeals that subsection. In practical terms, the repeal removes the existing exception tied to protected speech within the grounds for removal. That means there would be no remaining statutory exemption within that particular removal ground for conduct that may be described as protected speech, and enforcement could proceed under the broader removal provisions unless other protections apply. The bill does not add new protections or create new immigration status; it only removes an existing carve-out. The bill was introduced in the House on August 12, 2025, by a bi-partisan slate of sponsors and was referred to the Judiciary Committee. As a repeal, its effect would depend on how courts and immigration authorities interpret the rest of the INA and any other applicable laws or constitutional protections.