The United States has announced a new policy imposing visa restrictions on individuals, including Nigerians, found to be sponsoring or supporting actions that violate religious freedom. U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, disclosed this development in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stressing that these decisive measures are a direct response to ongoing atrocities and violence against Christians both in Nigeria and around the world.

Under the new directive, the U.S. Department of State will enforce visa bans on individuals identified as knowingly directing, authorizing, funding, supporting, or engaging in violations of religious freedom. This policy, implemented under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, also extends to the immediate family members of those affected. Rubio clarified that the policy applies broadly to Nigeria as well as to any government or individual involved in persecuting people on the basis of their religious beliefs.

This announcement comes shortly after a congressional roundtable convened in Washington by U.S. lawmakers. The meeting, which brought together experts in religious freedom and foreign affairs, focused on Nigeria’s rising levels of violence and what participants described as the “targeted persecution” of Christians within the country. The roundtable is part of a broader investigation initiated under former President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly stated that the U.S. cannot remain idle in the face of such atrocities.

During his administration, President Trump designated Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern (CPC)", citing persistent and severe violations of religious freedom, a designation the Nigerian government rejected. Trump has consistently argued that Christianity faces an existential threat in Nigeria, pointing to radical Islamic groups responsible for thousands of deaths. His administration even drafted contingency plans for potential U.S. military involvement should the crisis escalate further.

Following Nigeria’s CPC designation, U.S. lawmakers held a joint congressional briefing calling for sweeping reforms within the country. They urged the Nigerian federal government to abolish Sharia law in northern states, where it has been fully implemented, and to dismantle state-backed Islamic moral policing bodies such as Hisbah, which they believe contribute to systemic discrimination against Christians. Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey described Nigeria as “ground zero” for global anti-Christian persecution, citing years of mass killings and attacks on churches that have gone unpunished. Similarly, Representative Brian Mast emphasized the need for the United States to advocate for the disarmament of armed groups and the prosecution of perpetrators responsible for these acts of violence.