I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6286 
To amend section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to ensure 
that efforts to engage in espionage or technology transfer are considered 
in visa issuance, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 8, 2023 
Mr. CLINE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act to ensure that efforts to engage in espionage or 
technology transfer are considered in visa issuance, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting America 
From Spies Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. EXPANDING INADMISSIBILITY ON SECURITY AND 
RELATED GROUNDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 212(a)(3)(A) of the Im-
migration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(A)) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any alien is inadmis-
sible if a consular officer, an immigration offi-
cer, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the 
Attorney General knows, or has reasonable 
ground to believe, that the alien— 
‘‘(i) engages, has engaged, or will en-
gage in any activity— 
‘‘(I) in violation of any law of the 
United States relating to espionage or 
sabotage; or 
‘‘(II) that would violate any law 
of the United States relating to espio-
nage or sabotage if the activity oc-
curred in the United States; 
‘‘(ii) engages, has engaged, or will en-
gage in any activity in violation or evasion 
of any law prohibiting the export from the 
United States of goods, technology, or sen-
sitive information; 
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‘‘(iii) seeks to enter the United States 
to engage solely, principally, or incidentally 
in any other unlawful activity; 
‘‘(iv) seeks to enter the United States 
to engage solely, principally, or incidentally 
in any activity a purpose of which is the 
opposition to, or the control or overthrow 
of, the Government of the United States by 
force, violence, or other unlawful means; or 
‘‘(v) is the spouse or child of an alien 
who is inadmissible under this subpara-
graph, if the activity causing the alien to 
be found inadmissible occurred within the 
last 5 years.’’. 
(b) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—Section 212(d)(3)(A) of 
the 
Immigration 
and 
Nationality 
Act 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1182(d)(3)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘(other than para-
graphs (3)(A)(i)(I), (3)(A)(ii), (3)(A)(iii), (3)(C), and 
clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (3)(E) of such sub-
section)’’ each place such phrase appears and inserting 
‘‘(other than subparagraphs (A)(i)(I), (A)(ii), (A)(iii), 
(A)(iv), (C), (E)(i), and (E)(ii) of paragraph (3) of such 
subsection)’’. 
Æ 
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