Page 3 - Enhanced Border Security News Today

The global war against terrorism will be a long, protracted conflict. The federal government needs to be properly structured and to have the tools that it needs to protect Americans today,tomorrow, and 10 and 20 years from now, and Congress should beappropriately organized to support this effort. A balanced,forward-looking, and nonpartisan final report from the 9/11Commission would be a significant step in the right direction.

Until 2004, all foreign workers could renew their visas without leaving the United States.

President George W. Bush will join other world leaders at the 11th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 20-21. The meeting of the heads of 21 economies bordering both sides of the Pacific Ocean1 provides a unique opportunity for President Bush to advance American economic and security interests in Asia. Major items on the President's agenda should be:

A reauthorization bill for the disparate programs consolidatedunder the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the freshinitiatives undertaken by the DHS, is an important effort. Awell-crafted oversight bill could offer more coherent statutorysupervision of the DHS, as well as an opportunity to reconsider theentire authorization process for national security spending.

Because immigration is inextricably connected to the principlesupon which this nation is founded, policymakers must step back fromthe politics of the moment and develop a policy that considers realconcerns related to national security, illegal immigration, welfarepolicy, economic responsibility for immigrants, enforcement ofimmigration laws, and the impact on state and local governments.

During a recent interview with Bloomberg Law, Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, announced that the U.S. Department of State...

It was once possible to send a passport to the Department of State’s Revalidation Division with a supporting documents, and in 10 to 12 weeks, get the passport with a renewed visa. Bloomberg reported the State Department will launch a pilot program similar to this later this year.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed that a new visa foil design is being released for all nonimmigrant and immigrant visas. The current Lincoln visa foil will soon be...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP confirmed new visa foil design for all nonimmigrant and immigrant visas. Current Lincoln visa foil will be replaced with Bridge visa foil. Both visa foil designs will remain valid for travel to United States until expiration.

Simply strengthening the current "layered systems" approach to U.S.border security will not secure the border. Congress and theAdministration need to make key investments in infrastructure,organization, technology, and resources and then support theseefforts with appropriate legislation and policy reform.