As part of the House Sept. Border Security Plan should they state a deadline for the visa exit program?

Question

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/nation/15535193.htm?source=rss&channel=dfw_nation

This seems and easy fix, the program has been mandated, but agencies are dragging their feet.

"Congress ordered immigration authorities to set up a system to track foreigners in 1996 after the first terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, but the program never received enough money to get off the ground.

After 9-11, Congress renewed its mandate and promised the new Homeland Security Department enough money to set up an entry-exit system.

Since US-VISIT launched three years ago, authorities have recorded 64 million visits in their database.

They credit the new screening process with helping them to detect and turn back more than 1,300 criminals.

But Congress never set a deadline for a checkout system."

To determine whether a visa-holder has left the country, federal authorities rely on random checks of electronic passenger records or visa forms, known as I-94s.

A separate database tracks whether foreign students show up to register for classes.

Recently, the student system alerted authorities when 11 Egyptians didn't enroll in their colleges as required by their visas.

But experts said the only reliable way to know how many people overstayed their visas and remained in the country illegally would be to require visa-holders to check out.

"Right now we really just have an expensive super-duper, high-tech entry system that doesn't make much sense to have," Stock said.

The gap in information helps fuel criticism of the Bush administration's proposed foreign guest worker program. Opponents question how authorities would keep tabs on perhaps millions of new temporary workers if they can't keep track of tourists, students and business executives."

Thoughts?

Ruby and Gokart - apparently they print and CHECK IN everyone now, but don't CHECK THEM OUT to even determine who is still here. That is the mandate without a deadline that I think should have a deadline.

Tom SJ, I agree there is a balance to watch between security and individual freedoms. However, I am strictly speaking of the 'check out' system which is already mandated - without deadline. We check people in, they have a time when they are supposed to leave, and we don't even know to start wondering about them if we don't know if they left on time.

Answer 1

The only way to ensure the expeditious and motivated departure of our 'guests' is to continue exhorting your representatives to actively support and oversee said departure, by writing letters, to your local city council offices, your county, your local newspaper, and your state officials themselves. The more they feel and realize that their constituents support the idea of 'america for american citizens' over whatever dreamy-eyed drug-dream of a policy they were trying to pursue before, the more their actions will coincide with the apparent will of the majority. Be sure to
mention your ideas for immigration reform frequently, and clearly, so that there's no room for people to either take offense at or misunderstand your intentions.

As evidenced here in this very forum, the opponents of honest immigration reform, which starts first and foremost with long-overdue enforcement and compliance measures, are more than willing to toss the race card at will where they think it might stick and do some good, so it's important to be clear that voicing objection to the wholesale introduction of people to the United States who've got no lawful right to be within our borders, is not a matter of race, but rather a matter of law and general principle.

We're trying to make up ground for 20 years of murky policy here.
Congress has kept pushing this one under the rug for far longer than is prudent, I think it shows the negative effect that high-dollar lobbying can have on our legislative branch, if left unchecked. The Republicans need to stop, and re-evaluate their basic principles, and the direction they've taken in recent years, or else risk losing their support, and the same goes for Democrats.
8.4 trillion in red ink, and climbing...for what, exactly? Unaffordable housing, a dwindling job market, and a tax rate that will one day out-climb the shuttle itself?

Vote when possible, and speak frequently!

Answer 2

In todays technological world, it should not be very difficult to have an automated system to send notices from our government to those visa holders reminding them to renew or go back by a certain date. Those same visa holders must check out so it will be noted in our systems. If they fail to leave, the system would then red-flag that person and ICE would be informed so they could go get them and have them arrested, fined and deported (never to return or it would be considered a felony)

There should be a mandate on the deadline. It should be put into action.

Answer 3

An excellent question, but there is one gaping loophole. To my knowledge, the US does not require *each and every* person (citizen, visitor or illegal immigrant) to register their domicile with any government authority.

If a person wanted to *disappear* from the government, they could do so quite easily. To live in the US, you are not required to notify the police, FBI, INS or any agency informed as to your whereabouts at all times. A driver's license, registering to vote, getting a library card, etc are voluntary - you don't need them to live in the US. Conceivably, a person could even go underground, work on a cash-only basis and never pay income taxes.

(Remember the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski? He lived for years in a tiny cabin in Montana, and it was his brother who voluntarily informed the FBI where he was living.)

So, if you truly want a "checkout" system, you all had better be prepared to tell the gov't where you are living, visiting or vacationing at all times. And if you move, you need to notify the authorities, and pay a fine or go to jail if you 'forget.' And anyone who shelters a visitor who forgets to notify the gov't should also be charged as an accessory.

Is that what we want - a society in which people spy on others and report them to the police, about who lives where? What happens if your relatives come to visit? Neighbors will lose trust in neighbors. (A great system to annoy the heck out of your annoying neighbors. And vice-versa. Not.)

In case you think it can't happen, think again. Every citizen and visitor to Germany must report in their address with their local police department. Hotels are required to write down passport numbers for foreigners and send the list to the local police. Even in 2006.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

DAR MEANS GIVE