August 30, 2005
From the Associated Press:
Overall, 59 of 94 foreign-born nationals who were either convicted or indicted on terror charges broke federal immigration laws to enter or remain in the country between 1993 and 2004, the report found. It also noted:The Department of Homeland Security has enacted programs to improve immigration enforcement, undeniably not a moment too soon. According to Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke, the levels of scrutiny imposed by the new programs "vastly improve the odds of stopping" the terrorists before they act._Twenty-two of the 94 either had student visas or other applications approving them to study in the United States; another 17 used visitor visas to enter the country.The report identified many of the immigrants as affiliated with at least one terror organization, including 40 with al-Qaida, 16 with Hamas, 16 with the Palestinian or Egyptian Islamic Jihad, and six with Hezbollah._In at least 13 instances, suspected and convicted terrorists overstayed their temporary visas.
_Seven of the 94 were indicted for using false driver's licenses, birth certificates, Social Security cards and immigration records.
_Twenty-one became naturalized citizens.
Frankly, the odds of my satisfaction with national security are not improved when it's described in terms of a mathematical probability. What's next? Television news reporting the chance of terror right after the weatherman tells us the chance of rain? Obviously, more needs to be done. National security should be a "yes or no" issue, not something that requires a handicapper.
[Update 8/30/05, 1630 EDT]
The full report, Moving Beyond the 9/11 Staff report on Terrorist Travel by Janice L. Kephart, has been posted on the Internet. It's informative and engaging, particularly the section on the extent that terrorists use sham marriages to gain permanent residency and citizenship in the U.S. Beguiling American women into marriage is an effective tactic used intentionally to further their terrorist goals. I'm not shocked.
Companion post at Interested-Participant.
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