A new report from the Inspector General shows that DHS is catching less than 1% of people who stay in the U.S. after their visas have expired. In 2015 ICE arrested only 3,402 visa overstayers out of the estimated 527,127, or 1 out of every 150 cases.
On Friday President Trump signed an executive order that pauses the refugee resettlement program for the next 120 days giving time for the administration to review the application and vetting procedures for incoming refugees. Following the review, the order reduces the number of refugees to be resettled in the United States from Pres. Obama’s goal of 110,000 to the more traditional level of 50,000 -- a recommendation of the last bipartisan commission on immigration reform chaired by Barbara Jordan.
Appearing in a confirmation hearing yesterday, Homeland Security Secretary nominee Gen. John Kelly called for a multifaceted approach to securing the border and criticized the Obama Administration for giving “a pass” to most illegal aliens. He said that the law would "guide” his decisions if confirmed, and that he would “rapidly” process illegal aliens for return to the countries.
Kellyanne Conway, the newly-named counselor to President-elect Donald Trump, said the incoming Administration will not develop policies triggering heightened security based on an individual’s religious affiliation. She said Mr. Trump’s policies will instead focus on heightened vetting for individuals from terrorism-producing countries.
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Tex., unveiled a plan to overhaul homeland security that includes: “extreme vetting” of foreign travelers; revamping the visa application process; immediate suspension of all immigration, including refugees, from high-risk areas; building a wall and increasing border assets; ending catch-and-release policies; reforming asylum standards; deporting criminal aliens; ending sanctuary cities; implementing a full entry-exit system; re-examining guest-worker programs; and mandating E-Verify.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., announced a House Republican national security strategy that highlights border security, overhauling the nation’s immigration system, interior immigration enforcement, and improved screening of admissions. Among other things the plan calls for developing the means to track illegal aliens within the U.S., detaining and removing criminal aliens and restoring overall immigration enforcement. The plan also slams President Obama for “utterly false claims that security is improving.”
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest, introduced an amendment on Monday to the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act that would restrict funds from being used to modify existing airports or to build new ones without an agreement with DHS that the new facility would install and implement a biometric entry-exit system within two years of completion.
The Department of Homeland Security released a report yesterday showing that nearly 500,000 foreigners entered the U.S. and overstayed their visas in 2015. This is the first report of its kind, even though Congress ordered this report conducted nearly twenty years ago.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced plans to begin collecting biometric data from non-U.S. citizens entering and exiting the country in early 2016. CBP will install six new kiosks at San Diego’s Otay Mesa port across the border from Tijuana, Mexico and hope to be collecting both entry and exit data by February.
The Center for Immigration Studies released a report confirming that a biometric exit-tracking system for foreign visitors departing by air or sea is feasible now at a reasonable cost. CIS concludes “There is thus no justification for putting off the implementation of such a system until after an amnesty” for illegal aliens, as the Senate-passed bill provides.
Ever since the Senate Judiciary Committee began its consideration of the Gang of Eight's amnesty bill nearly two weeks ago, one topic has been a recurring theme -- a biometric exit/entry system. After defeating a number of strong amendments to include biometrics in the Gang's bill, the Committee passed an amendment on Monday that was offered by Sen. Orrin Hatch. But Sen. Hatch's amendment actually weakens current law and does nothing to make S.744 any better.
The immigration strategy announced by Mitt Romney today provided a lot of reasons for hope among most American workers -- especially for Hispanic Americans -- but troubling news for the country's students and workers in high-skill fields.
Disney World is dubbed one of the "Happiest Places on Earth", and Pres. Barack Obama will try to make it even happier by proposing to simplify the tourist visa process during a speech there on Thursday. The President will "unveil a strategy that will significantly help boost tourism and travel" said a White House aide. Trying to boost the top industry in a state with double-digit unemployment is a good idea. But making it easier for foreign visitors to come to the United States is a bad idea without a completed entry/exit system.
Later this week, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) will be introducing the Strengthening Our Commitment to Legal Immigration and America's Security Act that would eliminate the Visa Lottery, strengthen interior enforcement, and require the implementation of an exit procedure for foreign visitors to the United States.
