No Censors on our Shores Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 1071
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Immigration
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-09: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 523.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-29T16:11:21Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 1071 – No Censors on our Shores Act of 2025
Purpose
This legislation aims to prevent foreign government officials from entering or remaining in the United States if they have engaged in actions that censor speech by U.S. citizens located within the country. It seeks to protect free expression by treating such censorship as grounds for denial of entry or removal from the U.S.
Key Provisions
- Inadmissibility: Amends Section 212(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to add a new category making any foreign official inadmissible if they were responsible for or directly carried out acts against a U.S. citizen in the U.S. that would violate the First Amendment if performed by a U.S. government official.
- Deportability: Amends Section 237(a)(2) of the same Act to add a parallel category, allowing for the removal of such foreign officials who are already in the U.S.
- Applies to actions taken at any time while serving as a foreign government official, without time limits on when the acts occurred.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces new, specific grounds for inadmissibility and deportability tied to censorship of U.S. speech, expanding beyond prior immigration bars related to criminal activity, security threats, or other conduct.
- Creates a direct link between foreign officials' actions and U.S. constitutional protections, treating violations of free speech standards as equivalent to certain inadmissible behaviors under current immigration rules.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Increases responsibilities for the Department of Homeland Security and immigration authorities to investigate and enforce these new criteria during visa processing, border checks, and deportation proceedings.
- Citizens: Offers additional legal protections to U.S. citizens against foreign interference in domestic speech, potentially deterring overseas governments from pressuring or silencing individuals in the U.S.
- International relations: May strain diplomatic ties with countries whose officials face exclusion or removal, leading to possible reciprocal actions or negotiations over speech-related policies.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Foreign government officials and diplomats from nations involved in speech regulation.
- U.S. citizens whose online or public speech may be targeted by foreign entities.
- Immigration enforcement agencies and courts responsible for applying the new standards.
- Members of Congress and advocacy groups focused on free speech and immigration policy.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Raises questions about enforcement of the First Amendment against non-U.S. actors, as the law equates foreign actions with domestic constitutional violations.
- Could intersect with existing immigration statutes and international treaties on consular access or diplomatic immunity, requiring careful application to avoid conflicts.
- Politically, it frames censorship as a national security and immigration issue, potentially influencing debates on global free speech standards and U.S. border policies.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (5)
Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27], Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26], Rep. Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5], Rep. Hunt, Wesley [R-TX-38], Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-09: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 523.
- 2026-04-09: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 119-603.
- 2026-04-09: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 119-603.
- 2025-02-26: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- 2025-02-26: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2025-02-06: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-02-06: Introduced in House
- 2025-02-06: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- No Censors on our Shores Act — issued 2025-02-06 — PDF (3 pages)
- No Censors on our Shores Act of 2025 — issued 2026-04-09 — PDF (6 pages)