jonathan

We only learn by trial and error.
I guess we need to find other alternative programs to handle security.
My proposal simply "Protect Border, Language & Culture" just like
Germany, and France. The only sad thing about doing that is then we
may become a racist nation like them, but again that is the cost of
security.

Jonathan -
__________________________________________________ _______

Top Stories - AP
U.S. Ends Foreigner Registration Program
Mon Dec 1, 5:57 PM ET

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=2&u=/ap/20031201/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/registering_foreigners_6

By SUZANNE GAMBOA, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The government is scrapping a rule imposed after the
Sept. 11 attacks that required men and boys from countries with
suspected links to terrorism to register multiple times with U.S.
officials.

The rule forced tens of thousands of Middle Easterners and others
visiting America to provide personal information to government
officials.


Asa Hutchinson, the Homeland Security Department's undersecretary for
border and transportation security, said a new registration system
that will apply to more foreigners will be in place next month, making
the current program unnecessary.


The program will end Tuesday when a notice is published in the Federal
Register. Hutchinson said it could be used again if there is another
terrorist attack linked to a foreign country.


Critics who contend the rule infringed on the rights of law-abiding
citizens welcomed its end. But they tempered their response with
warnings that the requirement already had caused damage in Arab and
Muslim communities and that the government still has rules in place
that discriminate against those groups.


"There's more that would have to be done to right this wrong, but it
is one step toward making the program less discriminatory in the
future," said Tim Edgar, American Civil Liberties Union (news - web
sites) legislative counsel.


The rule is part of a program known as National Security Entry Exit
Registration System, or NSEERS. It established a national registry for
foreign visitors from 25 mainly Middle Eastern countries.


People from those nations were fingerprinted, photographed and
interviewed by U.S. immigration officials. They had to re-register
with the government after being in the country for 30 days and again
after one year. A total of 83,519 people already in the United States
complied with the order.


Nearly 14,000 people with suspected immigration violations were
identified through NSEERS, and 2,870 were detained. However, just 23
remain in custody, the government says.


People from the 25 countries still will be required to register when
they enter the country and must check in at immigration offices at
specific airports when they leave.


"The Department of Homeland Security will utilize a more tailored
system that is individual-specific rather than the broad categories by
geography," Hutchinson said.


He said the decision to terminate the program was not influenced by
harsh criticism from advocacy groups.


Hutchinson said it was made unnecessary by other programs such as a
foreign student tracking system that began operating in August and the
planned Jan. 5 launch of US-VISIT, which will digitally photograph and
fingerprint millions of people who visit the United States each year
on tourist, business and student visas.


Azhar Azeez, who sits on the board of directors of the Counsel on
American Islamic Relations in Dallas, predicted the withdrawal of the
re-registration rule could provide momentum for the end of other
post-Sept. 11 government policies.


"There's a very huge opposition across the country of the Patriot Act
too, so this whole thing is picking up speed and that's a good thing,
because in my personal opinion, the Patriot Act is the most

The Patriot Act gave government broader surveillance authority, such
as giving it more leeway to use wiretaps and monitor e-mail.