Rubio announced the policy on Thursday, saying the measures were aimed at preventing individuals who support or enable political violence from entering the country.
“Today, the State Department is imposing new visa restrictions to bar far-left terrorists from entering our country. Foreigners who finance, incite, or aid and abet far-left terrorists are enemies of our civilisation. They are not welcome in the United States,” Rubio said in a post on X.
The restrictions will apply to foreign nationals who have supported or incited acts of terrorism, backed violent criminal activity, participated in economic sabotage, financed or recruited individuals for violent actions, provided logistical support for such activities, or helped coordinate networks of far-left groups for violent purposes.
The policy is being implemented under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the United States to deny entry to foreign nationals whose presence could have serious adverse foreign policy consequences.
The State Department said the move was taken in support of National Security Presidential Memorandum-7 and broader government efforts to disrupt networks involved in political violence before they escalate into criminal activity.
The memorandum, signed by President Donald Trump earlier this year, directed federal agencies to take coordinated action against what the administration designated as far-left extremist networks operating both domestically and internationally.
The announcement came a day after the State Department held a ministerial conference on what it described as the resurgence of political terrorism.
The restrictions do not name specific organisations or individuals at this stage.
Critics have warned that the broad framing of “far-left terrorist” could be used to restrict the entry of political dissidents, journalists, and activists from other countries.
