PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jul 28, 2020
Protecting America From Spies Act
This bill expands the grounds for barring aliens who have engaged in acts relating to espionage or sabotage from entering the United States.
Specifically, any alien shall be inadmissible if the alien has engaged in or will engage in an act that (1) violates a U.S. law relating to espionage or sabotage; (2) would violate any U.S. law relating to espionage or sabotage if it occurred in the United States; or (3) violates any U.S. law prohibiting the export of goods, technology, or sensitive information. Currently, an alien shall be inadmissible if the alien seeks to enter the United States to engage in such an action.
Furthermore, the bill expands these grounds of inadmissibility and other security-related grounds to cover the spouse or child of the barred alien if the act occurred in the last five years.
The bill also modifies the authority of the Department of Justice to waive certain security-related grounds of inadmissibility for an alien applying for a nonimmigrant visa.
People & committees
Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] · R–TX
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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