The United States has started enforcing a new visa restriction regime targeting individuals, including Nigerians, alleged to be involved in breaches of religious freedom, a senior U.S. official has confirmed.
Mark Walker, Principal Advisor to the U.S. government on Global Religious Freedom, announced the development in a post on X on Friday, referencing an official statement from the U.S. Department of State outlining the new enforcement framework.
The policy, which operates under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, authorises U.S. authorities to deny or withdraw visas from persons accused of ordering, financing, assisting, or directly participating in religious freedom violations.
It also allows restrictions to extend, in some cases, to immediate family members.
Walker said the measures were already being applied, adding that individuals deemed responsible would face heightened screening and possible additional sanctions.
He noted that the decision followed an earlier announcement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stressing that Washington was moving beyond policy declaration into active enforcement.
While confirming the rollout, Walker did not disclose the identities of Nigerians or other foreign nationals affected by the visa restrictions.
The development comes against the backdrop of growing international scrutiny of Nigeria over allegations of targeted violence against Christians, alongside its redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern by U.S. authorities.
Washington has also intensified its broader counterterrorism posture in Nigeria, including reported strikes on terrorist enclaves in Sokoto State on December 25, 2025, carried out under directives associated with former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The State Department had earlier stated that the United States was responding to what it described as large-scale killings involving terrorist groups, armed militias and other violent actors.
It further explained that the visa policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) would be used to limit entry into the U.S. for individuals implicated in such violations, as well as those who may have supported or facilitated them.
