The U.S. State Department announced sweeping new visa restrictions aimed at individuals responsible for supporting or carrying out violations of religious freedom. This decition marks one of the strongest federal responses to the escalating persecution of Christians in Nigeria and other regions.
“The United States is taking decisive action in response to the atrocities and violence against Christians in Nigeria and around the world,” secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
Marco Rubio announces visa restrictions due to ‘violations of religious freedom’
Under the new measures, the U.S. will bar entry to any individuals who “knowingly direct, authorize, fund, support, or carry out violations of religious freedom.” In certain cases, the restrictions will also extend to immediate family members of those identified as perpetrators.
The State Department said the policy was drafted in direct response to the “mass killings and violence against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond.”
Although Nigeria is the only country specifically named in the announcement, the Department emphasized that the policy applies broadly to “other governments or individuals engaged in violations of religious freedom,” signaling possible future actions against actors in other regions facing similar crises. The move comes just weeks after President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” triggering increased federal oversight and potential sanctions.
As part of the administration’s push, Trump has directed Rep. Riley Moore (R-W.Va.), Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), and the House Appropriations Committee to intensify investigations into the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Moore and a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers held a roundtable in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to advance the inquiry and coordinate further action. “The U.S. cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries,” Trump said.
Human rights organizations estimate that more than 50,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009, with approximately 7,000 deaths recorded in the first half of 2025 alone. Most of these killings have been linked to extremist groups such as Boko Haram and armed Fulani militants, whose attacks on villages, churches, and farming communities have spurred global concern and renewed calls for international intervention.
The crisis has also caught the attention of high-profile cultural figures, including rapper Nicki Minaj, who has used her platform to advocate for stronger international action. Minaj expressed support for the administration’s efforts, calling for urgent measures “to defend Christians in Nigeria, to combat extremism and to bring a stop to violence against those who simply want to exercise their natural right to freedom of religion or belief.”
