Bill to Block Possible Foreign Child Predators from Obtaining U.S. Visas Drops in the Senate

FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL — The Daily Signal has learned that two outspoken conservative senators introduced legislation Thursday to block potential child predators from obtaining U.S. visas.

The Strengthened Checks for Reliable Evaluation of Entrants Nationwide (SCREEN) Act, introduced by Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Ted Budd, R-N.C., would help keep foreign child predators from obtaining visas and gaining access to American children by granting the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department access to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children database when vetting visa applicants.

The senators introduced the legislation after they found recent reports that foreign workers hired by major cruise lines under C-1/D visas were found guilty of possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

“The greatest country in the history of the world should have 100% certainty that we aren’t letting child predators come here on work visas,” Scott wrote in a press release exclusively obtained by the Daily Signal. “It’s inexcusable that we have let bureaucracy fail our children and put them in danger. It’s time to fix that.”

Scott continued, adding that the interagency coordination this legislation would create is “vital to both our national security and the safety of American children,” which the United States needs “more of.”

In the same press release, Budd added that those who “prey on children represent the very worst of society,” and that he is “proud” to join Scott “to ensure that State and DHS have access to critical NCMEC data to identify travelers and visa applicants in possession of illicit material exploiting children and prevent these criminals from entering the United States.”

Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., introduced a companion version of the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“The criminals who exploit innocent children online cannot be allowed to hide behind our borders or take advantage of gaps in our screening systems,” the congressman said, adding that the bill gives the proper agencies “critical information” to “help identify dangerous predators before they can enter or remain in our communities.”

“I’m proud to join with my colleagues like Sen. Budd and Rep. Gimenez to fix this glaring oversight and keep American kids safe from these despicable people,” Scott concluded.

The bill now awaits referral by House and Senate leadership to a committee.

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