The State Department designated former Libyan Judicial Police official Osema Almasri Habeesh Najeem and his wife, Aml Faraj Mohamed Makhluf, on October 29, 2026, barring them from entering the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the action against the man widely known as Osama Njeem.
The department cited alleged torture and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of detainees at Mitiga and al Jadida prisons. It invoked Section 7031(c), a law that allows the United States to make certain foreign officials and family members ineligible for entry.
The restriction also covers Najeem’s family members, the department said. That is the stated reach of the designation.
The action rests on allegations of gross human rights violations. The department also described the alleged conduct as including murder, forced labor and targeting Christians and members of other minority groups.
The entry restriction extends to the official’s family
The State Department’s announcement says Najeem and his family members are ineligible to enter the United States. His wife was named in the designation alongside him.
The statute refers to immediate family members of covered foreign government officials. It applies when the secretary of state has credible information that an official was involved, directly or indirectly, in significant corruption or a gross violation of human rights.
That authority appears in the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026 (Div. F, P.L. 119-75), and was carried forward by the Continuing Appropriations, 2027 (Div. A, P.L. 119-103). The State Department’s designation announcement identifies the statutory basis for the action.
The statute allows designations without a visa application
The secretary may identify a covered official publicly or privately. The authority applies without regard to whether the person has applied for a visa, so an application is not a prerequisite to a designation.
The law also gives the secretary authority to waive ineligibility on either of two grounds. A waiver may be granted if it would serve a compelling national interest, or if the circumstances that caused the person to become ineligible have changed sufficiently.
The State Department’s summary of the provision describes the restriction as applying to officials and their immediate family members when the statutory standard is met. The designation names Najeem and his wife, while the department’s statement says his family members are also covered.
The department cited abuses and violence against religious minorities
The department linked its action to its allegations about detainee treatment and to claims of violence against religious minorities. It said the alleged conduct made Najeem a danger to people in Libya and the United States.
“The Trump Administration will not tolerate violence against Christians or members of other religious minority groups. Today's action taken by the State Department further demonstrates the Administration's unwavering commitment to holding abusers accountable and protecting the American people from their actions”
The statement also cited murder, forced labor and targeting Christians and members of other minority groups. Those were the department’s stated reasons for the designation.
The international allegations and Libya detention predate the designation
The International Criminal Court accused Najeem of committing, ordering or assisting in murder and torture, including rape, of detainees at Mitiga Prison in Tripoli. The alleged conduct dates from February 2015 onward.
Italy arrested him in January on war crimes charges, then released him and arranged his return to Libya. Libya detained him in November 2025.
The designation concerns U.S. entry eligibility. The ICC accusations and the events in Italy and Libya form a separate chronology surrounding the allegations.
The statute leaves the secretary with authority to consider a waiver under its two stated grounds. This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
