I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 565 

To recognize that Christians and Yazidis in Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, 

and Libya are targets of genocide, and to provide for the expedited 

processing of immigrant and refugee visas for such individuals, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 13, 2017 

Mr. ROHRABACHER (for himself, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. 

BISHOP of Michigan, Mr. WEBSTER of Florida, and Mr. GROTHMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the 

Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To recognize that Christians and Yazidis in Iraq, Syria, 

Pakistan, Iran, and Libya are targets of genocide, and 

to provide for the expedited processing of immigrant 

and refugee visas for such individuals, 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 ‘‘Save Christians from 

5 Genocide Act’’. 

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1 SEC. 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY. 

2 Congress— 

3 (1) recognizes that Christians and Yazidis in 

4 Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, and Libya are targets of 

5 genocide and encourages other nations to likewise 

6 recognize the ongoing genocide and the threat of 

7 genocide to these people; and 

8 (2) further recognizes that such targets of 

9 genocide who are seeking admission to the United 

10 States as immigrants or refugees should be given 

11 priority and expedited processing. 

12 SEC. 3. EMERGENCY ADMISSION OF REFUGEES AND IMMI13 GRANTS. 

14 (a) REFUGEES.— 

15 (1) EMERGENCY REFUGEE SITUATION DE16 SCRIBED.—The persecution of Christians and 

17 Yazidis in Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, and Libya 

18 constitutes an unforeseen emergency refugee situa19 tion, and the admission of such persecuted individ20 uals in response to that situation is of grave human21 itarian concern. 

22 (2) EXPEDITED PROCESSING.—The Secretary 

23 of Homeland Security shall provide for the expedited 

24 processing of the visas for aliens described in para25 graph (3), and shall ensure that such applications 

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•HR 565 IH

1 receive first priority among applications for refugee 

2 status. 

3 (3) ALIENS DESCRIBED.—An alien is described 

4 in this paragraph if the alien— 

5 (A) is a citizen or national of Iraq, Syria, 

6 Pakistan, Iran, or Libya, or in the case of an 

7 alien having no nationality, whose country of 

8 last habitual residence was Iraq, Syria, Paki9 stan, Iran, or Libya; 

10 (B) is a member of the Christian or Yazidi 

11 community; and 

12 (C) is seeking admission to the United 

13 States as a refuge under section 207 of the Im14 migration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1157). 

15 (4) QUALIFICATION AS REFUGEES.—For pur16 poses of qualifying as a refugee under section 101 

17 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 

18 1101)— 

19 (A) membership in the Christian or Yazidi 

20 community shall qualify an alien described in 

21 paragraph (3) as a member of a persecuted 

22 group; and 

23 (B) the requirement that an alien be out24 side any country of such person’s nationality or, 

25 in the case of a person having no nationality, 

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•HR 565 IH

1 is outside any country in which such person last 

2 habitually resided, shall not apply to an alien 

3 described in paragraph (3). 

4 (b) IMMIGRANTS.— 

5 (1) EXPEDITED PROCESSING.—The Secretary 

6 of Homeland Security shall provide for the expedited 

7 processing of visas for the aliens described in para8 graph (2), and shall ensure that such applications 

9 receive first priority among applications for immi10 grant status. 

11 (2) ALIENS DESCRIBED.—An alien is described 

12 in this paragraph if the alien— 

13 (A) is a citizen or national of Iraq, Syria, 

14 Pakistan, Iran, Libya, or in the case of an alien 

15 having no nationality, whose country of last ha16 bitual residence was Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, 

17 or Libya; 

18 (B) is a member of the Christian or Yazidi 

19 community; and 

20 (C) is seeking admission to the United 

21 States as an immigrant under subsection (a) or 

22 (b) of section 203 of the Immigration and Na23 tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153). 

Æ 

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