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Immigration policy focuses on men from 20 countries
December 17, 2002 Posted: 1:04 AM EST (0604 GMT)
Monday marked a deadline in a program designed to keep possible terrorists out of the United States. Certain men from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Sudan had been ordered to register with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Their fingerprints and photographs were taken for official records.
The Department of Justice says the plan -- called "Special Registration" -- has its roots in a law passed by Congress in 1996. That law calls for the country to keep closer tabs on temporary foreign visitors to the U.S. Justice officials say the legislation has become a crucial part of the War on Terror. "We see this system as a program that will deter individuals who are known terrorists, wanted criminals or non-admissible individuals into our country," said Department of Justice Spokesperson Jorge Martinez.
Critics of the program say it violates civil liberties. And immigration lawyers question how effective the program is. Kamal Nawash, an immigration attorney, said that "people who have bad intentions, people who want to commit terrorism--I really don't think they would register [with the INS]."
But government officials defended the policy. They said that since this September, the program has helped authorities catch 180 wanted criminals, known terrorists and other people it refers to as "non-admissibles" -- people who allegedly should not be allowed into the country. However, the government officials did not release any names or break down their information.
Not everyone from listed countries is required to register with the INS -- only men who do not plan to stay permanently in the U.S. The next deadline is on January 10, when males aged 16 and older from 13 other countries, including Afghanistan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, and Yemen, must register. Men from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will have to report for fingerprinting and photographing by February 21.
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