Changes to the Visa Waiver Program

In December 2015, Congress passed a spending bill that included provisions that tighten controls in the visa waiver program. The new law enshrines discrimination against dual nationals of Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria, who live in VWP countries. That means, for example, that a German citizen, who has lived in Berlin her entire life, will lose her visa-free privileges if her father is an Iranian citizen — even if she herself has never been to Iran.

ACLU Comment to CBP On Social Media Proposal (8/22/16)

ACLU Backgrounder on the “Equal Protection in Travel Act” (H.R. 4380 / S. 2449) (5/4/16)

ACLU Statement for Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Hearing on “The Security of U.S. Visa Programs” (3/14/16)

Sign-On Letter to DHS Re: Request for Executive Action to Waive Discriminatory Prohibitions Based on National Origin under the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act (2/22/16)

ACLU Powerpoint on Recent Congressional and Administrative Actions on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) (2/19/16)

ACLU Statement for House Oversight and Government Reform Government Operations and National Security Subcommittees Hearing on “The President’s Waiver of Restrictions on the Visa Waiver Program” (2/10/16)

ACLU Statement for House Homeland Security Committee Hearing on “Breaking the New Visa Waiver Law to Appease Iran” (2/10/16)

Sign-On Letter to House in Support of Equal Protection in Travel Act of 2016 (H.R. 4380) (2/1/16)

Sign-on Letter to Senate in Support of Equal Protection in Travel Act of 2016 (S. 2449) (2/1/16)

ACLU Comment on Senators Joining Bipartisan Visa Waiver Fix Effort (1/14/16)

ACLU Comment on Bipartisan Visa Waiver 'Fix-It' Bill (1/13/16)

Looking Forward to International Visits from Friends and Family in 2016? Better Hope They’re Not Dual Nationals of Certain Countries. (12/18/15)

How Your Information Could Soon End up in the Hands of the NSA — and What You Can Do About It (12/18/15)

Recommendations to Improve the “Visa Waiver Program Security Enhancement Act” (S. 2337) - ACLU letter to Senate (12/17/15)

Opposition to H.R. 2029, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, with Cybersecurity, Surveillance, and Visa Waiver Discrimination Provisions – ACLU letter to House (12/17/15)

ACLU Comment on Omnibus Funding Bill (12/16/15)

ACLU Letter to Senators Feinstein and Flake re: Recommendations to Improve the "Visa Waiver Program Security Enhancement Act," S. 2337 (12/15/15)

Letter From 75 Groups Expressing Concerns With Visa Waiver Program Bills (12/11/15)

ACLU Letter to the Senate HSGAC Roundtable on “Strengthening the Visa Waiver Program After the Paris Attacks" (12/8/15)

ACLU Letter to the House re: the “Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015” (12/7/15)