US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday announced a new round of visa restrictions targeting individuals implicated in religious persecution in Nigeria, amid heightened American concern over reports of violence against Christian communities.

Rubio said the United States will deny visas to anyone who “has directed, authorized, significantly supported, participated in or carried out violations of religious freedom,” describing the move as “decisive action in response to the mass killings and violence against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond.”

The United States already enforces visa limits for human rights abuses, and the Trump administration has sharply tightened overall visa access, particularly for applicants from developing countries.

The announcement comes weeks after President Donald Trump drew global attention by declaring on social media that the US was prepared to take military action in Nigeria to stop the killing of Christians. While US officials have stopped short of endorsing any military steps, they have emphasized ongoing security cooperation with Nigeria and the possibility of additional targeted sanctions.

A senior Nigerian delegation recently visited Washington and signaled a commitment to “deepen security cooperation” with the United States as concerns grow over violence in several regions of the country.

Nigeria, a religiously diverse nation, has long grappled with multiple overlapping conflicts—many of which have claimed both Christian and Muslim lives. While evangelical groups in the US have argued that Christians are being specifically targeted, a number of scholars and conflict experts maintain that the situation is more complex, driven largely by competition over land, resources, and historical grievances rather than solely by religion.