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How the US State Department was created, who runs it and its impact on the world
2025-03-22 21:55:47 / BOTA
The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the Department of State, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the foreign affairs ministries of other nations, its primary duties are to advise the U.S. president on international affairs, administer diplomatic missions, negotiate international treaties and agreements, and represent the U.S. at the United Nations.
The department is headquartered in the Harry S Truman Building, a few blocks from the White House, in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C.; thus, "Foggy Bottom" is sometimes used as a metonym.
Established in 1789 as the first administrative arm of the U.S. executive branch, the State Department is considered among the most powerful and prestigious executive agencies.
It is headed by the U.S. Secretary of State, who reports directly to the President of the United States and is a member of the Cabinet. Like a Secretary of State, the Secretary of State serves as the chief diplomat and representative of the federal government abroad and is the first Cabinet official in the order of precedence and presidential line of succession. The position is currently held by Antony Blinken, who was nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 26, 2021, by a vote of 78–22.
As of 2019, the State Department maintains 273 diplomatic posts worldwide, second only to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China.
It also manages the U.S. Foreign Service, provides diplomatic training for U.S. officials and military personnel, exercises partial jurisdiction over immigration, and provides various services to Americans, such as issuing passports and visas, posting foreign travel advisories, and advancing trade ties abroad.
The department administers the oldest U.S. civilian intelligence agency, the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, and maintains a law enforcement arm, the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).
The US Immigration Ban Act
In 2004, the United States passed a law banning foreign citizens involved in corruption from entering the country.
In 2014, the law was amended to also include human rights violations as a reason to deny entry to the US.
A year later Congress also determined that designations of these individuals could be made publicly or privately.
In 2018, the first citizen publicly convicted under this law was former prosecutor Adriatik Llalla.
Former Prime Minister Sali Berisha was also declared persona non grata in 2021, on charges of corruption and undermining democracy.
The Secretary of State is required to submit a report to the Appropriations and Judiciary Committees on activity during a year describing whether this measure has been used or whether there have been cases of its removal./ Alfapress.al
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