H.R.5495, the SEVER Act

Bottom Line Up Front

H.R. 5495, the Strengthening Entry Visa Enforcement and Restrictions Act (SEVER Act), bars entry to the United States — including for purposes of United Nations representation — for Iranian regime officials sanctioned under Executive Order 13876, which targets the Supreme Leader’s inner circle and his office. The bill closes a persistent visa gap by codifying into law what current sanctions policy implies but does not explicitly require: that those designated under EO 13876 are ineligible to set foot on U.S. soil, including at U.N. venues in New York.

Click here to read the full legislative text and view the list of cosponsors.

Why It Matters

• Iranian regime officials sanctioned under Executive Order 13876 have been able to exploit U.N. gatherings in New York as a platform despite their designations. The SEVER Act codifies the denial of visas for these individuals, ensuring U.S. soil is not accessible to sanctioned members of the Supreme Leader’s inner circle under any pretext.
• Executive Order 13876 targets the Office of the Supreme Leader and his key lieutenants, yet U.S. visa policy has not automatically reflected those designations. This bill closes that gap by making denial of admission a legal requirement — not a discretionary outcome — for EO 13876 designees.
• Sanctions lose credibility when those designated can still travel freely to the United States. The SEVER Act signals that U.S. sanctions carry real, enforceable consequences — regime insiders who bankroll terror and repression cannot enter U.S. territory.
• The bill focuses narrowly on individuals already designated under EO 13876 — officials tied directly to the Supreme Leader’s Office — rather than ordinary Iranian citizens. This ensures maximum pressure on the regime’s decision-makers while maintaining a clear and principled legal standard.