NATO Burden Sharing Enforcement Act

Key Points

• This bill would let the Secretary of State stop issuing visas to citizens of NATO countries that fail to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense. It uses visa access as leverage to pressure allied governments into meeting their military spending commitments.
• The bill works by amending an existing section of immigration law (Section 243(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act) that already allows visa restrictions for countries that refuse to accept deported nationals. It adds a new trigger: failing to meet the NATO 2% defense spending benchmark.
• If enacted, the visa ban could affect tourists, business travelers, students, and workers from several European NATO allies that currently spend below 2% of GDP on defense. Countries like Belgium, Canada, Spain, and others could be impacted.
• The bill also updates the law to replace references to the 'Attorney General' with 'Secretary of Homeland Security,' reflecting the post-9/11 reorganization of immigration enforcement authority.