I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 852 

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that an alien 

may not be denied admission or entry to the United States, or other 

immigration benefits, because of the alien’s religion, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 3, 2017 

Mr. BEYER (for himself, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE

JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. 

SWALWELL of California, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. SLAUGHTER, 

Mr. HECK, Mr. WELCH, Mr. NORCROSS, Mr. SOTO, Mr. TONKO, Mr. 

COHEN, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. SARBANES, Miss RICE of New York, Mr. 

POCAN, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. 

NORTON, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. CARSON

of Indiana, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. CONYERS, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. KIND, Mr. 

MCGOVERN, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. KILDEE, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. DANNY K. 

DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mrs. 

DINGELL, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. SEAN PATRICK

MALONEY of New York, Ms. ESTY, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. SERRANO, 

Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Mr. DELANEY, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. 

RUSH, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. SIRES, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. PASCRELL, Ms. 

BONAMICI, Mr. NADLER, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. CUMMINGS, Ms. PINGREE, 

Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. WALZ, Mr. GUTIE ́RREZ, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Mr. 

O’ROURKE, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. 

KEATING, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. JEFFRIES, 

Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Ms. LEE, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. HIMES, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. DELBENE, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, 

Ms. MENG, Mr. RASKIN, Ms. TSONGAS, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. MCEACHIN, Mr. 

GARAMENDI, Ms. TITUS, Mr. LEVIN, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New 

York, Mr. LANGEVIN, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. 

LYNCH, and Ms. MATSUI) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 


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•HR 852 IH

A BILL 

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide 

that an alien may not be denied admission or entry 

to the United States, or other immigration benefits, because of the alien’s religion, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Freedom of Religion 

5 Act of 2017’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON DENYING ADMISSION, ENTRY, OR 

7 OTHER BENEFIT BECAUSE OF RELIGION. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 2 of title I of the Immi9 gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1181 et seq.) is 

10 amended by inserting after section 219 the following: 

11 ‘‘SEC. 220. PROHIBITION ON DENYING ADMISSION, ENTRY, 

12 OR OTHER BENEFIT BECAUSE OF RELIGION. 

13 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other pro14 vision of the immigration laws, an alien may not be denied 

15 entry, reentry, or admission to the United States, or any 

16 other immigration benefit, because of the alien’s religion 

17 or lack of religious beliefs. 

18 ‘‘(b) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in subsection (a) 

19 shall be construed to affect the authorities under section 

20 212(f), subsections (h) and (i) of section 221, or any other 

21 provision of the immigration laws, when exercised on a 


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•HR 852 IH

1 case-by-case basis with respect to an individual who a con2 sular officer, an immigration officer, the Attorney General, 

3 the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Secu4 rity, or the President determines may pose a threat to 

5 United States national security interests.’’. 

6 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

7 for the Immigration and Nationality Act is amended by 

8 inserting after the item relating to section 219 the fol9 lowing: 

‘‘Sec. 220. Prohibition on denying admission, entry, or other benefit because of 

religion.’’. 

Æ 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS