No Hezbollah In Our Hemisphere Act
The No Hezbollah In Our Hemisphere Act is a bill aimed at strengthening US efforts to counter Hezbollah’s activities in Latin America. It directs the Secretary of State, intelligence and other federal agencies to assess whether any Latin American country or region acts as a “terrorist sanctuary” for Hezbollah, and to use sanctions and visa restrictions to pressure governments and individuals connected to such activities. The bill also seeks to spur regional designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, and to coordinate with international partners on financial and law enforcement tools. Sanctions would include revoking visas and denying entry to designated individuals, with a five-year sunset on these measures. A key feature is a mandated assessment within 180 days and ongoing reporting to Congress, plus waivers under limited circumstances. In practice, if a country is deemed a terrorist sanctuary, the bill would empower the President to impose visa bans on government officials and other related individuals, potentially revoke existing visas, and require regulatory steps to implement these sanctions. The act envisions cooperation with allies and international bodies to pressure countries to enhance investigations, curb terrorist financing, and adopt designation practices similar to those used by Argentina. The overall aim is to disrupt Hezbollah’s operations in the Western Hemisphere and prevent it from expanding its footprint through Latin American networks.
Key Points
- 1Establishes a 180-day assessment to determine whether any country, region, or jurisdiction in Latin America meets the definition of a “terrorist sanctuary” for Hezbollah or other foreign terrorist organizations, with results reported to Congress.
- 2Authorizes sanctions to revoke or deny entry to foreign individuals (including government officials) identified as operating within a designated terrorist sanctuary, including immediate visa revocation and removal of existing visas, subject to limited exceptions.
- 3Creates a five-year sunset for all sanctions imposed under the act, with mechanisms for waivers on national security grounds or to satisfy international obligations, and requires pre-waiver congressional reporting explaining the justification and conditions.
- 4Encourages aggressive U.S. diplomacy and international coordination (e.g., through the FATF) to greylist or otherwise pressure governments that assist Hezbollah, and to help Latin American countries strengthen their own terrorism-financing investigations and designation tools.
- 5Directs the Department of State, in coordination with intelligence and other agencies, to coordinate with regional governments to limit Hezbollah’s access to funds, recruitment, and safe havens, and to promote designation of Hezbollah under local laws similar to Argentina’s model.