Stop Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2021

The Stop Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2021 (S. 1409) would expand federal immigration laws to include the theft of trade secrets and economic espionage as grounds for denying entry to or deporting non-citizens. Under this bill, individuals could be barred from entering the United States or removed from the country if there are reasonable grounds to believe they have violated, or intend to violate, U.S. laws protecting proprietary business information.

For the average citizen, this legislation aims to protect American innovation and economic interests by making it more difficult for foreign actors to engage in industrial or state-sponsored intellectual property theft. By strengthening the legal consequences for these activities, the bill seeks to safeguard the competitive advantage of U.S. businesses and the jobs that rely on domestic research and development.