Congressman Chip Roy (R) introduced the Inhibiting Militant Adversarial Mullahs (IMAN) Act today, legislation aimed at restricting certain foreign religious leaders from entering the United States under nonimmigrant religious worker visas.
According to Rep. Roy's office, the bill would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to bar individuals holding Islamic leadership positions, including Imams, Shaykhans, Muftis, and Ayatollahs, from obtaining religious worker visas if they are found to promote extremist ideologies or teachings viewed as hostile to the United States and Western values.
"The United States should never roll out the red carpet for foreign clerics who preach anti-American hatred, celebrate terrorism, or serve as mouthpieces for radical regimes," said Rep. Roy.
Roy argued the legislation is intended to prevent foreign clerics who promote political Islam or Sharia-based governance from entering the country through religious visa programs.
"For years, adversarial religious figures have manipulated loopholes in our immigration laws to enter this country under so-called religious visas while spreading extremism," said Roy. "The Inhibiting Militant Adversarial Mullahs (IMAM) Act sends a clear message: America will not import militant ideology disguised as ministry."
The congressman added, "If you promote the values of enemies of the West, you should not get a visa to come to the United States - period."
According to Roy's office, supporters believe current immigration laws contain vulnerabilities that can be exploited by foreign religious figures accused of spreading extremist ideology while operating under the protections afforded to religious workers.
The proposal is part of broader, ongoing debates in Congress surrounding immigration enforcement, national security, protections for religious freedom, and concerns about foreign influence and extremism.
The IMAN Act adds to a growing number of immigration and national security proposals focused on tightening visa restrictions and increasing scrutiny of foreign individuals accused of promoting extremist ideologies within the United States.
