When Will an Immigrant Be Barred from Entry Because of a Connection to Terrorism?
Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) bars individuals from entry in the United States for a variety of reasons. These include terrorism-related inadmissibility grounds (TRIG).
Regardless of whether a person is coming to the U.S for tourism or employment, and regardless of whether he or she has married a U.S. citizen or won a visa lottery, TRIG may bar entry completely.
Types of Terrorism-Related Activities That May Be Covered
Terrorism-related activities include some that are violent and illegal, others that involve association with and support of causes or people involved in terrorism. For example, a person who engages in terrorist acts, who has received military training from a terrorist organization, who has incited terrorist activity, or who has endorsed or espoused terrorism would be inadmissible. So too would a spouse or child of anyone who engaged in terrorist activity during the preceding five years.
The INA’s definition of terrorist activity covers various types of sabotage, assassination, kidnapping, hijacking, and other acts commonly associated with terror.
“Engaging in Terrorist Activity” can involve planning and carrying out a terrorist act, but it can also be recruiting others to act, providing support, fundraising, or other help. Providing a safe house, transportation or fake documents might constitute material support of a terrorist group. So would feeding members of the group, distributing literature, or making a modest financial contribution.
Categories of Terrorist Organizations
Terrorist organizations are divided into three tiers:
- Tier I includes Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) that threaten the security of the U.S. or U.S. citizens.
- Tier II includes groups on the Terrorist Exclusion List (TEL). These are organizations that carry out or provide material support for terrorist acts that are unlawful under U.S. law or the laws of another country.
- Tier III involves groups of two or more, organized or not, that are engaged in terrorist activity. A less formal designation than the others, Tier III changes from time to time and determinations of who is affected are made on a case-by-case basis.
Exemptions
The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security can exempt some individuals from TRIG. Exemptions have been issued to people who acted under duress, to people who provided voluntary medical care, and to selected individuals with existing immigration benefits. Because the definition of terrorist activity is broad, potentially encompassing freedom fighters, group exemptions have been given to a number of organizations ranging from the All Burma Students Democratic Front to the Democratic Movement for the Liberation of Eritrean Kunama.
Being involved in terrorism is a serious matter and can have an effect on the ability to obtain U.S. citizenship. For more information regarding TRIG or if you think you might be exempt from exclusion, contact an experienced immigration attorney today.