-Caveat Lector-
>From http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A11552-
2002Apr18?language=printer
}}}>Begin
washingtonpost.com
Border Security Bill Clears Senate
Tighter Watch on Student Visas Sought
By Helen Dewar
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 19, 2002; Page A10
The Senate last night unanimously approved a bill to tighten security at the nation's
borders, including closer monitoring of immigrants with student visas.
The legislation was passed 97 to 0 and includes an array of provisions -- prompted
by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks -- aimed at preventing terrorists from obtaining
visas
to enter the United States. The measure is similar to a House-approved bill, and its
sponsors said the House is likely to go along with minor Senate changes and send
the legislation to President Bush.
Bush issued a statement immediately after the vote, commending the Senate for its
action and saying he looked forward to signing the bill. He also urged Congress to
complete action on immigration legislation that the Senate will consider separately in
the near future.
The bill authorizes 200 new border agents in each of the next five years, along with
more money for training. Congress would have to fund the legislation in a separate
bill; the estimated cost over three years is $3.2 billion.
The bill attempts to tighten control over student visas in several ways. The
government would have to monitor a student's entry into this country and report it to
the student's intended school. The school would have to notify the government if the
student fails to report for class. At least one of the Sept. 11 hijackers entered the
country on a student visa but did not show up for classes.
The bill also calls for creating an electronic database from law enforcement and
intelligence sources, including a sophisticated name-matching system, to help
immigration and consular officials identify and bar possible terrorists. Also, consular
offices would be required to transmit an electronic version of an immigrant's visa file
to U.S. immigration officials before the person's arrival.
High-level approval would be required before any visa could be issued to people from
countries the United States has designated as terrorist.
All commercial airlines and ships coming to the United States would have to provide
a list of passengers and crew before arrival. U.S. airlines now provide such lists but
many foreign carriers do not.
By October 2004, all travel documents for those entering or leaving the country would
have to be tamper-resistant and machine-readable, and a year later equipment to
handle the documents would have to be installed at all ports of entry. The passports,
visas and other documents would have to include biometric identifiers such as
fingerprints or retinal scans.
Last March the House passed a broader bill that combined the border security
provisions with more controversial legislation making it easier for some illegal
immigrants to gain permanent residency in the United States.
The House bill would revive the recently expired Section 245 (i) program, under
which illegal immigrants could remain in this country while seeking to become
permanent residents if they pay a $1,000 fee and have a close relative or employer
to sponsor them.
Senate leaders temporarily dropped the immigration provisions at the insistence of
Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W. Va.), who contended they amounted to amnesty for
people who broke the law. Senate leaders of both parties said they intend to bring up
the provisions as soon as possible.
Byrd also insisted on a number of technical changes in the border security bill but
dropped more controversial proposals, including one, aimed at China, that would bar
imports produced by prison labor or child labor.
Angela Kelley, deputy director for the Washington-based National Immigration
Forum, applauded the Senate for taking action that "isolates terrorism without
isolating America."
"These are just common-sense measures that keep us a nation of immigrants,"
Kelley said. "It's a forward-looking approach to national security."
T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, the union that
represents Border Patrol agents, praised the bill for including additional training and
enhanced technology. "It closes a lot of the loopholes that exist in the way the system
works now," he said. "It's not the end-all but . . . I think it's a good start."
James W. Ziglar, head of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, declined to
comment on the legislation. But a Justice Department official said the bill will help
the
agency "do our part in fighting terrorism."
Staff writer Cheryl W. Thompson contributed to this report.
© 2002 The Washington Post Company
End<{{{
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Forwarded as information only; no automatic endorsement
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material
is distributed without charge or profit to those who have
expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information
for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe
simply because it has been handed down for many generations. Do not
believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do
not believe in anything simply because it is written in Holy Scriptures. Do not
believe in anything merely on the authority of Teachers, elders or wise men.
Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it
agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all.
Then accept it and live up to it."
The Buddha on Belief, from the Kalama Sutta
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will
teach you to keep your mouth shut."
--- Ernest Hemingway
<A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A>
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic
screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are
sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis-
directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with
major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought.
That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and
always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no
credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html
<A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]</A>
http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
<A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A>
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
