In the wake of recent terrorist attacks around the world, the White House announced that it is further tightening security in the visa waiver program (VWP), which allows 20 million travelers from some 38 countries to enter the United States without a visa each year.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will begin screening VWP travelers for prior travel to any country determined to be a "terrorist safe haven," the White House said, reports AFP. Such countries include Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Pakistan, Somalia, Egypt, Lebanon, Mali, Colombia and Venezuela, according to the State Department.
The U.S. will also expand the use of fingerprints and photographs to identify passengers, increase information sharing with other VWP countries, and assist those countries in screening refugees and enhancing their border security.
U.S. "foreign fighter surge teams" will be deployed to countries that jihadists returning from war may attempt to travel from to the United States. The State Department will also work with Congress to increase fines on airlines that fail to verify passport data, from $5,000 to $50,000.
The Department of Homeland Security has been tasked with preparing a report within 60 days on ways to collect more fingerprints under the VWP, and to identify penalties for countries that don't cooperate on information sharing, and incentives for those that do.
Following the Paris attacks, the VWP and refugee programs have been scrutinized for security holes that could allow terrorists to slip into the U.S. disguised as travelers or migrants, as one attacker in Paris is thought to have done. As President Obama prepares to allow 10,000 Syrian refugees to resettle in the U.S. over the next year, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are scrambling to pass legislation to improve the program, notes NPR.
Republican Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Monday that the House is likely to vote on VWP reform measures before Christmas break. House Republicans would like to require all VWP countries to issue electronic passports and require all passengers to be screened against a database of lost and stolen passports, reported The Associated Press.
The White House said in a press release that it is unilaterally moving forward with the following the actions:
1. DHS will immediately take steps to modify its Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications to capture information from VWP travelers regarding any past travel to countries constituting a terrorist safe haven. The Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, will identify and regularly review these countries so that traveler risk assessments can be made on the most up-to-date information.
2. The Department of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and other appropriate agencies will accelerate its review process for VWP partner countries and within 60 days, will provide a full report to the President:
3. Identifying possible pilot programs designed to assess the collection and use of biometrics (fingerprints and/or photographs) in the VWP to effectively increase security; and
4. Identifying any countries that are deficient in key areas of cooperation, along with recommended options to engender compliance using a range of penalties and incentives available under his current authority including the more frequent submission of ESTAs and/or the suspension of ESTA issuances (new and/or renewals) for citizens of countries that fail to meet key metrics.
5. The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation will evaluate the terrorism information sharing that occurs between the United States and VWP countries, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security, and provide a report to the President of the United States within 60 days identifying options to mitigate any deficiencies.
6. DHS will offer assistance to countries to better facilitate terrorism information sharing, specifically to include biometric pilots. For example, DHS and the Terrorist Screening Center will assist all interested VWP countries in screening refugees or asylum seekers, including through the application of extensive terrorism information already provided to VWP members and through piloting capability for conducting near real time biometric checks.
7. The Secretaries of DHS, State, and Commerce will promote the Global Entry program among VWP partners to further expand this trusted traveler program, which includes biometrics.
8. The Secretary of Homeland Security will work with Congress to seek authority to increase Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) fines from $5,000 to $50,000 for air carriers that fail to verify a traveler's passport data.
9. The Departments of Homeland Security and State, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. intelligence community elements will deploy Foreign Fighter Surge Teams to work with countries to counter terrorist travel.
10. The Departments of Homeland Security and State will encourage and provide assistance as needed to enhance border security and legislation related to FTFs of our partner countries, and encourage more robust information sharing, better use of shared information, and more effective and efficient coordination between our partners."
