June 2005
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 U.S. Gives 27 Nations Another Extension on Tougher Passports
WASHINGTON, DC - Aviation security is an administration priority, and analysts say the
deadline extensions are evidence of how difficult it is to make the nation's air
travel system secure. The introduction of biometric
passports has been hindered
by the number of countries involved and by disagreements over privacy, a problem
that may impair the passports' effectiveness.
"These initiatives require extensive international cooperation," said Rey Koslowski, director of the Research Program on Border Control and Homeland
Security at Rutgers University in Newark, N.J. "It's a much more difficult task
to reach agreements among countries on technological standards on privacy than
picking out the technology itself."
The countries with visa waivers are Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Britain, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,
Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Last
year about 15 million people from those countries came to the United States.
In 2002, Congress extended by a year those countries' October 2003 deadline to
produce machine-readable passports with biometric identification. When it became
clear that some of the European countries would miss the October 2004 deadline,
it was extended to October of this year. European countries have been wary of
the project, citing cost and privacy concerns, and some countries have pointed
out that the United States does not require biometric information in its own
passports. Regulations announced Wednesday require the visa-waiver countries to
add a tamper-proof digital photo to passports by this October, instead of the
biometric chip.
A test of "e-passports" using that technology began Wednesday at Los Angeles
International Airport and at the international airport in Sydney, Australia.
Airline crews from the United States, Australia and New Zealand will use the
passports this summer, allowing Homeland Security to test the software. By
October 2006, the 27 nations must include the biometric chip in their
passports,
but it will only contain a photograph, not a fingerprint or iris scan, said
Homeland Security spokesman Jared Egan. He attributed the decision to place only
photographs on the chip to privacy concerns "within the U.S. and
internationally."
Egan said a digital photo fulfilled the congressional mandate for a biometric
identifier. But others have argued that a photo alone is insufficient.
Source: Los Angeles Times
Photo: Associated Press |
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Diversity Immigrant Visa Program - Green Card Lottery
 2005
Green Card Lottery (DV-2007) Registration is already open
Every year the US government issues 50,000 permanent
Green Cards through the
Diversity Immigrant Visa Program; the Green Card Lottery. Applicants are
selected randomly by a computer generated drawing. If you are selected, you and
your family will be authorized to live and work permanently in the United
States. Registration for the 2005 Green Card Lottery is open until December 3rd,
2005.
Instructions for the 2005 Green Card Lottery are now available.
2004 Green Card Lottery (DV-2006) Results to be announced
Registration for the 2004 Green Card Lottery (DV-2006) ended on January 7th
2005. Applicants selected will be notified by mail directly by U.S. State
Department between May and July 2005. Persons not selected will NOT receive any
notification.
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United States Passport Application and Renewal Kit
 NEW
YORK, NY - Due to the
overwhelming number of requests for a detailed information guide on how to apply
for a United States passport, or replace a lost, stolen or expired passport, the
United States Immigration Support (an independent organization) has developed
the "United States Passport Application and Renewal Kit". It was carefully
developed to help applicants through the U.S. passport application, renewal and
replacement process.
Click here to request the U.S. passport application package.
Some facts about United States Passports:
What is a
passport?
A passport is an official government document that certifies one's identity and
citizenship. It is also an internationally recognized travel document. A valid
United States passport may be used to enter most foreign countries.
Nearly 7 million U.S. passports are issued every year.
Who issues United States passports?
Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to issue United States
passports. The process of applying for a United States
passport can be frustrating experience. It is recommended that all applicants
follow the instructions included the application package to assure a
successful application.
The United States Passport Application Kit
The information in the "United States Passport Application and Renewal Kit" will
assist you in determining your eligibility for a U.S.
passport and help you
successfully apply for an American passport.
UNITED STATES PASSPORT
APPLICATION KIT:
$49.95 |
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A statute of limitations on unlawful entry would humanely address illegal immigration
 WASHINGTON,
DC - A bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate by Ted Kennedy and John McCain
offers a plan for dealing with the nation's
illegal immigration problem.
Undocumented immigrants would be able to pay a fine, receive a three-year work
visa, renewable once, and then, in McCain's words, "get in the back of the line
for a green card and eventually become citizens." Foreigners could enter as
temporary guest-workers and then apply for permanent residency.
The approach has merit: Giving visa-holders the opportunity to stay means that
today's guest workers won't become tomorrow's
illegal workers. But the bill sets
a cap on the annual number of temporary-work visas at 400,000. With an estimated
eight to 10 million undocumented immigrants now in the country, not to mention
continued emigration pressures from Mexico, Central America and Asia,
undocumented immigration will probably continue.
Even if Congress raised the ceiling on annual legal immigration, demand from
some areas would probably continue to exceed the supply of legal admissions.
Illegal immigration is a hard problem to solve because it involves myriad issues
that are difficult to reconcile: domestic and international politics, competing
economic interests, the need to prosecute lawbreakers, and the desire to be
humane. But we often overlook simple solutions that have historical and legal
precedent. We used to have one policy that is worth revisiting: a time limit --
a statute of limitations -- on prosecuting unauthorized presence.
Source: The Washington Post
Photo: Associated Press |
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