Panel discussion addresses “US-VISIT Program”

The United States Visitor and Immigration Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) program comes under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  According to the DHS website the US-VISIT program is designed to secure the United States borders and expedite the entry/exit process.  But some Texas-Mexico border city and community leaders have expressed concerns about the implementation of the entry/exit procedures.

KSTX moderator Erik Ketcherside hosted a panel of distinguished individuals.  On the panel supporting the current DHS/US-VISIT Program procedures were:

• Jim Williams, Director, US-VISIT Program
• Al Martinez Fonts, Private Sector Liaison and Special Assistant to Tom Ridge

The individuals who would like to see modifications to the US-VISIT Program were:

• Robert Greenblum, immigration attorney, Quan, Burdette and Perez
• Eddie Treviño, Jr., Mayor of the city of Brownsville, Texas

US-VISIT is the acronym for United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology. It is, according to a Department of Homeland Security press release, a cornerstone of the Department’s goals to improve border management at our ports of entry. For more on the US-VISIT program click on this link: www.dhs.gov/us-visit

Asa Hutchinson, Under Secretary of Border and Transportation Security of the Department of Homeland Security says “the program is designed to enhance the security of the U.S. citizen and visitors, expedite legitimate travel and trade, ensure the integrity of the immigration system and safeguard visitors’ personal privacy.” These are the goals of the program as stated on the US-VISIT website fact sheet.

The entry/exit procedures as mandated by US-VISIT program have been implemented at U-S air and sea ports since December 31 of last year. The fifty most highly trafficked land ports of entry are required to implement the exit/entry procedures by December 31, 2004. Then by December 31, 2005 all ports should have the entry/exit procedures in place.

Of the fifty busiest land ports of entry, 22 are found in Texas. To see a list of the 50 busiest land ports of entry click on this link:  www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/US-VISITFACTSHEET.pdf

The goals of the US-VISIT program as stated on the Fact Sheet: U.S. Land Borders webpage:

• enhance the security of U.S. citizens and visitors
• facilitate legitimate travel and trade
• ensure the integrity of the immigration system
• safeguard the privacy of visitors to the U.S.

But Texas city and community leaders along the Mexico border have concerns about the goals and feel the entry/exit procedures act as obstacles to these goals rather than help achieve them. Laredo, Texas city councilman John Galo says movement of people has already been slowed just with the laser visa cards, and that it affects primarily the people who cross the border daily. But the goals don’t adequately address security concerns according to Dennis Nixon, chairman of the organization Alliance for Security and Trade. He says there is an inequality of visa procedures for Canadians and Mexicans. Canadians can travel throughout the United States and for up to six months without a laser visa, while Mexicans with a Border Crossing Card (BCC) or laser visa are limited to a 72-hour U-S visit, and can only travel within a 25 mile zone from the border in Texas (75 miles in Arizona).

Listen to comments:
John Galo, Laredo, TX city councilman
Dennis Nixon, chairman of Alliance for Security and Trade

According to Texas-Mexico border city and community leaders the implementation of the US-VISIT Program entry/exit procedures will not only affect trade and commerce, but also such industries as real estate, tourism, education and medical.

If you have a question about the US-VISIT Program, send in your question via e-mail at USVISIT@tpr.org