IB 
Union Calendar No. 283 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1741 
[Report No. 112–411, Part I] 
To authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State 
to refuse or revoke visas to aliens if in the security or foreign policy 
interests of the United States, to require the Secretary of Homeland 
Security to review visa applications before adjudication, to provide for 
the immediate dissemination of visa revocation information, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 5, 2011 
Mr. SMITH of Texas (for himself, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. CAL-
VERT, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. ROSS of Florida, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. 
AKIN, and Mr. MCCAUL) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on 
Homeland Security, 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 
MARCH 8, 2012 
Additional sponsors: Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. FORBES, Mr. 
BARLETTA, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. BROOKS, Mr. DUNCAN of 
South Carolina, and Mr. COBLE 
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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 ‘‘Secure Visas Act’’. 
SEC. 2. VISA REFUSAL AND REVOCATION. 
(a) AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND 
SECURITY AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 428 of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 236) is amended by 
striking subsections (b) and (c) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(b) AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND 
SECURITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 
104(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1104(a)) or any other provision of law, and 
except for the authority of the Secretary of State 
under subparagraphs (A) and (G) of section 
101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)), the Secretary— 
‘‘(A) shall have exclusive authority to issue 
regulations, establish policy, and administer and 
enforce the provisions of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) and all 
other immigration or nationality laws relating 
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to the functions of consular officers of the United 
States in connection with the granting and re-
fusal of a visa; and 
‘‘(B) may refuse or revoke any visa to any 
alien or class of aliens if the Secretary, or des-
ignee, determines that such refusal or revocation 
is necessary or advisable in the security interests 
of the United States. 
‘‘(2) EFFECT OF REVOCATION.—The revocation 
of any visa under paragraph (1)(B)— 
‘‘(A) shall take effect immediately; and 
‘‘(B) shall automatically cancel any other 
valid visa that is in the alien’s possession. 
‘‘(3) JUDICIAL
REVIEW.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, including section 2241 of title 
28, United States Code, or any other habeas corpus 
provision, and sections 1361 and 1651 of such title, 
no court shall have jurisdiction to review a decision 
by the Secretary of Homeland Security to refuse or 
revoke a visa, and no court shall have jurisdiction to 
hear any claim arising from, or any challenge to, 
such a revocation. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State may 
direct a consular officer to refuse a visa requested by, 
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or revoke a visa issued to, an alien if the Secretary 
of State determines such refusal or revocation to be 
necessary or advisable in the interests of the United 
States. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—No decision by the Secretary 
of State to approve a visa may override a decision by 
the Secretary of Homeland Security under subsection 
(b).’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
paragraph (1) shall take effect on the date of the en-
actment of this Act and shall apply to visa refusals 
and revocations occurring before, on, or after such 
date. 
(b) ISSUANCE OF VISAS AT DESIGNATED CONSULAR 
POSTS AND EMBASSIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 428(i) of the Home-
land Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 236(i)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(i) VISA
ISSUANCE
AT
DESIGNATED
CONSULAR 
POSTS AND EMBASSIES.—Notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of law, except section 207 of the Foreign Service Act 
of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3927) and the process established by the 
President for determining appropriate staffing at diplo-
matic missions and overseas constituent posts, the Secretary 
of Homeland Security— 
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‘‘(1) shall conduct an on-site review of all visa 
applications and supporting documentation before ad-
judication at all visa-issuing posts in Algeria; Can-
ada; Colombia; Egypt; Germany; Hong Kong; India; 
Indonesia; Iraq; Jerusalem, Israel; Jordan; Kuala 
Lumpur, Malaysia; Kuwait; Lebanon; Mexico; Mo-
rocco; Nigeria; Pakistan; the Philippines; Saudi Ara-
bia; South Africa; Syria; Tel Aviv, Israel; Turkey; 
United Arab Emirates; the United Kingdom; Ven-
ezuela; and Yemen; and 
‘‘(2) is authorized to assign employees of the De-
partment to each diplomatic and consular post at 
which visas are issued unless, in the Secretary’s sole 
and unreviewable discretion, the Secretary determines 
that such an assignment at a particular post would 
not promote national or homeland security.’’. 
(2) EXPEDITED CLEARANCE AND PLACEMENT OF 
DEPARTMENT
OF
HOMELAND
SECURITY
PERSONNEL 
AT OVERSEAS EMBASSIES AND CONSULAR POSTS.— 
The Secretary of State shall accommodate and en-
sure— 
(A) not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, that Department of 
Homeland Security personnel assigned by the 
Secretary of Homeland Security under section 
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428(i)(1) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
have been stationed at post such that the post is 
fully operational; and 
(B) not later than 1 year after the date on 
which the Secretary of Homeland Security des-
ignates an additional consular post or embassy 
for personnel under section 428(i)(2) of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002 that the Depart-
ment of Homeland Security personnel assigned 
to such post or embassy have been stationed at 
post such that the post is fully operational. 
(c) VISA REVOCATION.— 
(1) INFORMATION.—Section 428 of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 236) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(j) VISA REVOCATION INFORMATION.—If the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security or the Secretary of State re-
vokes a visa— 
‘‘(1) the relevant consular, law enforcement, and 
terrorist screening databases shall be immediately up-
dated on the date of the revocation; and 
‘‘(2) look-out notices shall be posted to all De-
partment of Homeland Security port inspectors and 
Department of State consular officers.’’. 
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