SEVER Act Allows US to Deny UN Visas Based on Existing Sanctions, Shaking Up Diplomacy

The Strengthening Entry Visa Enforcement and Restrictions Act, mercifully shortened to the SEVER Act, is making a significant change to who can actually show up for work at the United Nations in New York. The core of this legislation is simple: it expands the U.S. government’s power to deny entry visas to foreign representatives who are supposed to be attending the UN.

The New Gatekeeper Rule

Currently, there are limits on when the U.S. can block someone coming for official UN business. This bill changes that by amending Section 407(a)(1) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act. Under the SEVER Act, if a foreign representative is already subject to sanctions under Executive Order 13876—specifically, how that order stands on September 16, 2025—the U.S. can now deny them a visa. Think of it this way: if a diplomat from Country X is sanctioned by the U.S. for activities back home, they can now be blocked from coming to Manhattan to represent their government at the UN, regardless of their diplomatic credentials.

Who Gets to Work, and Who Stays Home?

This isn't just bureaucratic paperwork; it’s a big deal for international relations. Normally, the host country (the U.S.) has an obligation to let accredited diplomats attend the UN. This bill essentially says, “Our sanctions policy trumps that obligation.” For the U.S., the benefit is clear: it strengthens the enforcement of sanctions against foreign officials by using visa denial as an extra tool. If you’re a government official subject to U.S. sanctions, this bill means you lose access to one of the world’s most important diplomatic stages.

The Diplomatic Friction

However, this move introduces serious potential friction. When a country can’t send its chosen representative to the UN—a body designed for international dialogue—it can hinder diplomatic functions. Imagine a critical Security Council session where a key representative is absent because their visa was denied under these new rules. The effectiveness of the UN itself could suffer if the U.S. frequently uses this authority. For the foreign governments whose representatives are denied entry, this could easily be seen as the U.S. interfering with their sovereign right to participate in international affairs, potentially leading to diplomatic backlash or reciprocal actions against U.S. diplomats abroad. It’s a powerful move that links domestic sanctions enforcement directly to international diplomatic access, and that’s a complex knot to untangle.