Presidential Documents

49277 

Federal Register 

Vol. 76, No. 153 

Tuesday, August 9, 2011 

Title 3— 

The President 

Proclamation 8697 of August 4, 2011 

Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of 

Persons Who Participate in Serious Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Violations and Other Abuses 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

The United States enduring commitment to respect for human rights and 

humanitarian law requires that its Government be able to ensure that the 

United States does not become a safe haven for serious violators of human 

rights and humanitarian law and those who engage in other related abuses. 

Universal respect for human rights and humanitarian law and the prevention 

of atrocities internationally promotes U.S. values and fundamental U.S. interests in helping secure peace, deter aggression, promote the rule of law, 

combat crime and corruption, strengthen democracies, and prevent humanitarian crises around the globe. I therefore have determined that it is in 

the interests of the United States to take action to restrict the international 

travel and to suspend the entry into the United States, as immigrants or 

nonimmigrants, of certain persons who have engaged in the acts outlined 

in section 1 of this proclamation. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, by the authority vested in me 

as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, 

including section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, 

as amended (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States 

Code, hereby find that the unrestricted immigrant and nonimmigrant entry 

into the United States of persons described in section 1 of this proclamation 

would be detrimental to the interests of the United States. I therefore hereby 

proclaim that: 

Section 1. The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, 

of the following persons is hereby suspended: 

(a) Any alien who planned, ordered, assisted, aided and abetted, committed 

or otherwise participated in, including through command responsibility, 

widespread or systematic violence against any civilian population based 

in whole or in part on race; color; descent; sex; disability; membership 

in an indigenous group; language; religion; political opinion; national origin; 

ethnicity; membership in a particular social group; birth; or sexual orientation 

or gender identity, or who attempted or conspired to do so. 

(b) Any alien who planned, ordered, assisted, aided and abetted, committed 

or otherwise participated in, including through command responsibility, 

war crimes, crimes against humanity or other serious violations of human 

rights, or who attempted or conspired to do so. 

Sec. 2. Section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply with respect to any 

person otherwise covered by section 1 where the entry of such person 

would not harm the foreign relations interests of the United States. 

Sec. 3. The Secretary of State, or the Secretary’s designee, in his or her 

sole discretion, shall identify persons covered by section 1 of this proclamation, pursuant to such standards and procedures as the Secretary may establish. 


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49278 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 153 / Tuesday, August 9, 2011 / Presidential Documents 

Sec. 4. The Secretary of State shall have responsibility for implementing 

this proclamation pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, may establish. 

Sec. 5. For any person whose entry is otherwise suspended under this 

proclamation entry will be denied, unless the Secretary of State determines 

that the particular entry of such person would be in the interests of the 

United States. In exercising such authority, the Secretary of State shall 

consult the Secretary of Homeland Security on matters related to admissibility 

or inadmissibility within the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security. 

Sec. 6. Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to derogate from 

United States Government obligations under applicable international agreements, or to suspend entry based solely on an alien’s ideology, opinions, 

or beliefs, or based solely on expression that would be considered protected 

under U.S. interpretations of international agreements to which the United 

States is a party. Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to limit 

the authority of the United States to admit or to suspend entry of particular 

individuals into the United States under the Immigration and Nationality 

Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) or under any other provision of U.S. law. 

Sec. 7. This proclamation is not intended to, and does not, create any 

right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity 

by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, 

its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. 

Sec. 8. This proclamation is effective immediately and shall remain in 

effect until such time as the Secretary of State determines that it is no 

longer necessary and should be terminated, either in whole or in part. 

Any such termination shall become effective upon publication in the Federal 

Register. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day 

of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth. 

[FR Doc. 2011–20395 

Filed 8–8–11; 11:15 am] 

Billing code 3195–W1–P 


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