New Senate Bill Would Sanction Foreign Entities, Governments Over Illegal Immigration
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and member Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, introduced a bill Feb. 3 that would sanction foreign entities that facilitate illegal immigration into the U.S., including human smuggling networks and financial institutions that enable their operations.
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The Stifling Transnational Operations and Proliferators by Mitigating Activities That Drive Narcotics, Exploitation, and Smuggling Sanctions Act, or Stop Madness Act, also would sanction foreign governments that resist efforts to repatriate their citizens who illegally enter the U.S.
“This bill will ensure the president has important tools to hold accountable countries and criminal organizations who refuse to comply with our immigration laws,” Scott said.
Under the bill, sanctioned governments could lose access to the U.S. financial system. For sanctioned entities and individuals, the president could block assets and restrict transactions. The legislation was referred to the Banking Committee.
The introduction follows a showdown in late January in which President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs and other measures if Colombia didn't accept a planeload of deported migrants from the U.S. Trump withdrew the threat after Colombia agreed to accept them (see 2501270007).