Susie
09-15-2007, 03:55 AM
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/homeland.php?id=1319826
Exclusive: The Visa Waiver Program: Why It’s a Bad Idea
Author: Mike Cutler
Source: The Family Security Foundation, Inc.
Date: September 11, 2007
Current visa requirements are helpful to border protection officials, but the Visa Waiver Program increases America’s vulnerability to attack. FSM Contributing Editor Michael Cutler takes to task those who would expand the waiver program in order to cater to the bottom line.
The Visa Waiver Program: Why It’s a Bad Idea
By Michael Cutler
Last week we had a “good news/bad news” scenario. The good news is that law enforcement officials were able to thwart deadly terror plots in both Denmark and Germany and arrested three suspects in Germany. The bad news is that 10 more terrorists are still at large and being hunted all over the world! Meanwhile, the U.S. Visa Waiver Program may increase our vulnerability to attack. However, I would ask you to first consider the following:
“The Europeans have thought this was exclusively a problem between the U.S. and the Islamic world," [Bob Ayres] said, adding that the continent is suffering now because of lax immigration policies and a failure to integrate newcomers. "People haven't realized that the radical Islamists embrace an ideology that transcends national loyalties. They're not Germans, Brits or French. They are radical Muslims living in these countries."
This brings us back to the fundamental issue of the Visa Waiver Program that, incredibly, is expected to be expanded – even though more citizens from countries that participate in the program are being tied to terrorism.
There are five benefits to law enforcement provided by the current visa requirement:
1. The visa requirement acts as an additional screening mechanism to help keep terrorists off of airliners. If an alien who seeks to board a plane destined to the United States is required to secure a visa but fails the application process, that person is barred from boarding. (Richard Reid, the so-called "Shoe Bomber," was a British national and boarded the plane he intended to destroy without obtaining a visa.)
2. The visa process helps CBP (Customs and Border Protection) inspectors make better decisions, and helps to cut down on the number of aliens who should not be admitted into the United States. Several terrorist suspects involved with the attacks of September 11, 2001 were believed to have been kept out of the United States by the visa requirement.
3. The application for a nonimmigrant tourist visa contains about 40 questions that can be potential investigative leads. They can also offer invaluable intelligence if that alien becomes the focus of a criminal or terrorist investigation.
4. If an alien lies on that application for a visa, that lie constitutes visa fraud. The penalties for visa fraud range from 10 years’ jail time for fraud committed to obtain unauthorized employment, to 15 years of imprisonment if fraud is committed to help one commit crime. When it can be proven an alien has committed visa fraud in conjunction with drug trafficking, the penalty increases to 20 years in jail. Finally, if the fraud is committed in furtherance of terrorism, the penalty calls for a maximum of 25 years in jail. Often it is hard to prove that an individual is a terrorist, but it is quite simple to prove that an alien has lied about a material fact on an application for a visa.
5. On occasion, it is deemed advantageous to use the crime of visa fraud to arrest an individual who is involved with a criminal or terrorist organization to keep him from alerting his cohorts that they are being scrutinized.
.
As Americans, we are certainly inconvenienced when we board planes to travel in our own country. We are severely restricted as to what we can bring on board with us; we have to remove our shoes and overcoats; we need to arrive at the airport at least two hours before flight time. However, while we comply with all of these conditions in the name of security, the advocates for the Visa Waiver Program argue that the current visa requirement imposes an unacceptable inconvenience on foreign visitors. They argue this is why travel has decreased since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Unsurprisingly, most advocates for the expansion of the Visa Waiver Program are involved in the travel and hospitality industry. They have initiated a program called "Discover America" and hired the first Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, to push this dangerous program. Do you remember Tom Ridge? He was the guy who told us to go out and buy duct tape to secure our homes!
Someone needs to remind these folks that the biggest problem we have is that the terrorists have discovered America! Perhaps they should advocate for an end to the Visa Waiver Program. Then they can engage in a public relations campaign to educate foreign tourists that we are doing the necessary things to keep citizens and visitors safe. Maybe then, more people would be willing to travel to the U.S.
One thing is certain: if there is, God forbid, another terrorist attack, no one will be flying anywhere. No one will be traveling or staying in hotels. That is what happened in the weeks immediately following the attacks of September 11, 2001. The Visa Waiver Program is not only dangerous to the well being of our nation and our citizens, it is also dangerous to the long-term well being of the industries that are now pushing so vigorously to expand it!
It seems the travel and hospitality industries are blinded by greed. I do not know of any polite language to describe the politicians in Washington who are willing to accede to the demands of those corporate fools who apparently are unable to see past their next profit statements.
Meanwhile, the unsecured borders of the United States also provide easy access to illegal aliens who are undoubtedly terrorists and criminals. Corporations are happy to have the illegals enter our country because they provide cheap and compliant labor. Politicians pander to the special interest groups that want to have as many illegal aliens enter our county as possible in exchange for more power and more money. Immigration attorneys are happy to see these aliens enter our country, as they represent a potentially unlimited source of new clients.
As I have noted in many previous articles, the inspections process carried out by immigration (CBP) inspectors is not a mere formality. When aliens evade the inspections process, it is not the equivalent of a "fare beater" jumps the subway stile for a free ride. The inspection process represents an effort to prevent a number of categories of aliens from entering our country. Among these classes of prohibited aliens are violent criminals, terrorists, those who harbor dangerous and communicable diseases, those who seek unlawful employment, aliens who are likely to become public charges and those who suffer from mental illness, to name just a few categories. This is done to protect the safety and security of our nation and our citizens and those aliens who are lawfully present in our country. Politicians who make light of this do so at everyone’s peril!
Everyone involved in advocating for open borders and an expansion of the dangerous Visa Waiver Program believes that they are "making out on the deal." Unfortunately, they “make out” at the expense of American and resident alien workers who face loss of jobs or reduction in salaries and benefits.
In business, the bottom line is profit earned by the company. Where national security is concerned, the bottom line is the safety of our citizens and the survival of our nation. When our government puts corporate profit ahead of national security, we are in deep trouble!
The ultimate irony is that if there is another attack, many of the very same corporations that were eager to see the massive number of illegal aliens enter our nation would be hammered by the loss of travel and commerce in its wake.
“We the People” are entitled to real leaders who have real principles. My dad used to tell me that a real man (or woman) stands for something. It is time that we had politicians who stand for more than campaign contributions. We need to get involved, make our voices be heard and regain control of our government!
Democracy is not a spectator sport!
Lead, follow or get out of the way!
Exclusive: The Visa Waiver Program: Why It’s a Bad Idea
Author: Mike Cutler
Source: The Family Security Foundation, Inc.
Date: September 11, 2007
Current visa requirements are helpful to border protection officials, but the Visa Waiver Program increases America’s vulnerability to attack. FSM Contributing Editor Michael Cutler takes to task those who would expand the waiver program in order to cater to the bottom line.
The Visa Waiver Program: Why It’s a Bad Idea
By Michael Cutler
Last week we had a “good news/bad news” scenario. The good news is that law enforcement officials were able to thwart deadly terror plots in both Denmark and Germany and arrested three suspects in Germany. The bad news is that 10 more terrorists are still at large and being hunted all over the world! Meanwhile, the U.S. Visa Waiver Program may increase our vulnerability to attack. However, I would ask you to first consider the following:
“The Europeans have thought this was exclusively a problem between the U.S. and the Islamic world," [Bob Ayres] said, adding that the continent is suffering now because of lax immigration policies and a failure to integrate newcomers. "People haven't realized that the radical Islamists embrace an ideology that transcends national loyalties. They're not Germans, Brits or French. They are radical Muslims living in these countries."
This brings us back to the fundamental issue of the Visa Waiver Program that, incredibly, is expected to be expanded – even though more citizens from countries that participate in the program are being tied to terrorism.
There are five benefits to law enforcement provided by the current visa requirement:
1. The visa requirement acts as an additional screening mechanism to help keep terrorists off of airliners. If an alien who seeks to board a plane destined to the United States is required to secure a visa but fails the application process, that person is barred from boarding. (Richard Reid, the so-called "Shoe Bomber," was a British national and boarded the plane he intended to destroy without obtaining a visa.)
2. The visa process helps CBP (Customs and Border Protection) inspectors make better decisions, and helps to cut down on the number of aliens who should not be admitted into the United States. Several terrorist suspects involved with the attacks of September 11, 2001 were believed to have been kept out of the United States by the visa requirement.
3. The application for a nonimmigrant tourist visa contains about 40 questions that can be potential investigative leads. They can also offer invaluable intelligence if that alien becomes the focus of a criminal or terrorist investigation.
4. If an alien lies on that application for a visa, that lie constitutes visa fraud. The penalties for visa fraud range from 10 years’ jail time for fraud committed to obtain unauthorized employment, to 15 years of imprisonment if fraud is committed to help one commit crime. When it can be proven an alien has committed visa fraud in conjunction with drug trafficking, the penalty increases to 20 years in jail. Finally, if the fraud is committed in furtherance of terrorism, the penalty calls for a maximum of 25 years in jail. Often it is hard to prove that an individual is a terrorist, but it is quite simple to prove that an alien has lied about a material fact on an application for a visa.
5. On occasion, it is deemed advantageous to use the crime of visa fraud to arrest an individual who is involved with a criminal or terrorist organization to keep him from alerting his cohorts that they are being scrutinized.
.
As Americans, we are certainly inconvenienced when we board planes to travel in our own country. We are severely restricted as to what we can bring on board with us; we have to remove our shoes and overcoats; we need to arrive at the airport at least two hours before flight time. However, while we comply with all of these conditions in the name of security, the advocates for the Visa Waiver Program argue that the current visa requirement imposes an unacceptable inconvenience on foreign visitors. They argue this is why travel has decreased since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Unsurprisingly, most advocates for the expansion of the Visa Waiver Program are involved in the travel and hospitality industry. They have initiated a program called "Discover America" and hired the first Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, to push this dangerous program. Do you remember Tom Ridge? He was the guy who told us to go out and buy duct tape to secure our homes!
Someone needs to remind these folks that the biggest problem we have is that the terrorists have discovered America! Perhaps they should advocate for an end to the Visa Waiver Program. Then they can engage in a public relations campaign to educate foreign tourists that we are doing the necessary things to keep citizens and visitors safe. Maybe then, more people would be willing to travel to the U.S.
One thing is certain: if there is, God forbid, another terrorist attack, no one will be flying anywhere. No one will be traveling or staying in hotels. That is what happened in the weeks immediately following the attacks of September 11, 2001. The Visa Waiver Program is not only dangerous to the well being of our nation and our citizens, it is also dangerous to the long-term well being of the industries that are now pushing so vigorously to expand it!
It seems the travel and hospitality industries are blinded by greed. I do not know of any polite language to describe the politicians in Washington who are willing to accede to the demands of those corporate fools who apparently are unable to see past their next profit statements.
Meanwhile, the unsecured borders of the United States also provide easy access to illegal aliens who are undoubtedly terrorists and criminals. Corporations are happy to have the illegals enter our country because they provide cheap and compliant labor. Politicians pander to the special interest groups that want to have as many illegal aliens enter our county as possible in exchange for more power and more money. Immigration attorneys are happy to see these aliens enter our country, as they represent a potentially unlimited source of new clients.
As I have noted in many previous articles, the inspections process carried out by immigration (CBP) inspectors is not a mere formality. When aliens evade the inspections process, it is not the equivalent of a "fare beater" jumps the subway stile for a free ride. The inspection process represents an effort to prevent a number of categories of aliens from entering our country. Among these classes of prohibited aliens are violent criminals, terrorists, those who harbor dangerous and communicable diseases, those who seek unlawful employment, aliens who are likely to become public charges and those who suffer from mental illness, to name just a few categories. This is done to protect the safety and security of our nation and our citizens and those aliens who are lawfully present in our country. Politicians who make light of this do so at everyone’s peril!
Everyone involved in advocating for open borders and an expansion of the dangerous Visa Waiver Program believes that they are "making out on the deal." Unfortunately, they “make out” at the expense of American and resident alien workers who face loss of jobs or reduction in salaries and benefits.
In business, the bottom line is profit earned by the company. Where national security is concerned, the bottom line is the safety of our citizens and the survival of our nation. When our government puts corporate profit ahead of national security, we are in deep trouble!
The ultimate irony is that if there is another attack, many of the very same corporations that were eager to see the massive number of illegal aliens enter our nation would be hammered by the loss of travel and commerce in its wake.
“We the People” are entitled to real leaders who have real principles. My dad used to tell me that a real man (or woman) stands for something. It is time that we had politicians who stand for more than campaign contributions. We need to get involved, make our voices be heard and regain control of our government!
Democracy is not a spectator sport!
Lead, follow or get out of the way!