Iranian Terrorism Concerns Surround New Biden Immigration Regulation

A new Biden administration immigration regulation, purportedly designed to aid processing of visas for U.S.-friendly Afghan nationals, contains concerning loopholes that could seriously weaken immigration restrictions against members and supporters of terrorist organizations. Simultaneous with the re-opening of negotiations with Iran this week, the regulation also seems to reduce visa restrictions on many conscripts from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a move that might appear as a partial concession to Iran’s demand to lift the IRGC’s terrorist designation.

If this regulation is truly intended only for the restricted case of Afghanistan, the administration should quickly amend this regulation to remove the troubling loopholes. Congress should press the Executive Branch on this matter, urgently exercise its oversight authority and, if necessary, legislate to maintain or strengthen immigration restrictions against the IRGC and other terror groups.