The Washington Timeswww.washtimes.com

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New law contains ID-card proposal
Dave Boyer
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Published 11/1/2001


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     Tucked quietly into the counterterrorism package that President Bush
signed into law last week is a measure that could require foreigners to use
identification cards to enter the United States.
     A spokesman for Sen. Christopher S. Bond, Missouri Republican,
confirmed yesterday that his ID-card proposal was included in the
legislation at the last minute before the House and Senate gave final
approval to the overall bill.
     The addition of the measure escaped the attention of the media and
apparently many lawmakers as well. As proposed by Mr. Bond, the provision
called for a foreigner's digitized fingerprint to be included on the
identification card. But Bond spokesman Ernest Blazar said the law allows
Attorney General John Ashcroft to decide on the best technology for
fashioning the identification cards.
     The new law, which gives federal agents broad new police powers to
probe terrorism, does not require Mr. Ashcroft to implement the
identification-card system. But it urges him to do so and appropriates
whatever money the Justice Department would need to undertake the effort.
     A bipartisan bill in the Senate would require the attorney general to
take these steps. The proposal by Sens. Jon Kyl, Arizona Republican, and
Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat, would mandate the creation of a
centralized, comprehensive database of visa holders and other noncitizens
who enter the nation.
     The Senate bill also would direct the Immigration and Naturalization
Service to upgrade its own electronic data system to include biometric data
such as fingerprint verification or iris recognition on all foreign
nationals applying to enter the United States. It also would require
countries wishing to participate in the visa-waiver program to provide
tamper-resistant, machine-readable passports.
     The counterterrorism law signed by Mr. Bush is designed to close visa
loopholes exploited by terrorists in the September 11 attacks. Some
terrorists were in the country on expired visas, and others entered the
country on student visas but never showed up for school.
     It requires thorough background checks for an immigrant to obtain an
identification card. Student and travel visas will be tracked through an
automated system to alert law-enforcement officials when visits have been
overstayed.
     Identification cards would be developed through "biometric" technology;
the law also recommends production of "tamper-resistant" passports.
     Mr. Bond's measure directs the secretary of state to review how
consular officers issue visas to determine whether foreigners can go
"consular shopping" to obtain one.
     The overall legislation gives the Justice Department the authority to
conduct wiretaps on all phones used by a suspected terrorist and allows it
to detain immigrants suspected of terrorist activities for up to seven days
without filing charges.
     As Congress attempts to crack down on loopholes in immigration, Rep.
Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican, renewed his call for a new Border
Security Agency.
     "It is clear that if we are going to secure our borders and protect our
country, then we must end the Immigration and Naturalization Service as we
know it and form a new agency that has the ability and the will to enforce
the law," Mr. Tancredo said.
     He said confusion arises from having INS, the Coast Guard and the
Border Patrol all enforce the borders. Mr. Tancredo also said nearly 300,000
people who have been ordered deported by the INS "are currently not
accounted for."

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