Kennedy Introduces Bill to Enhance Border Security
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., introduced legislation yesterday intended to prevent prospective terrorists from entering the country by strengthening the security of U.S. borders.
“The Senate took significant steps last week to improve immigration security by passing the anti-terrorism bill, but further action is needed,” Sen. Kennedy said at a press conference at the Capitol.
Sen. Kennedy said the legislation attempts to improve the nation’s intelligence and technology capabilities, enhance the ability to screen individuals before they arrive at the border and improve the monitoring of foreign nationals already within the U.S.
The legislation, titled The Enhanced Border Security Act of 2001, also calls for sharing CIA and FBI information among the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the State Department and other law enforcement agencies as well as the new White House Office of Homeland Security.
The anti-terrorism bill, which President George W. Bush signed last week, provides for FBI information to be made available to the INS and the State Department.
“One of the realities today is that the Central Intelligence Agency doesn’t share with the INS and the FBI a number of those that they believe are terrorists or pose a serious threat to our country,” Sen. Kennedy said. Information on individuals who “pose a threat” should be available to agencies across the world and the “watch lists” of terrorists should be updated daily, added Kennedy.
His legislation aims at improving the training of border personnel and the technology available to them. It would also give the government the ability to get information from foreign countries from their points of departure and would allow the INS to track the activities of foreign students and deny visas to citizens of countries that the State Department believes sponsor terrorism.
“We must intercept terrorists before they reach our border,” said U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, R-Kan, who introduced the legislation with Kennedy. Of the 19 terrorists involved in the Sept. 11 attacks, 15 entered the United States on legal visas, some of which had already expired by Sept. 11.
Sen. Kennedy, however, was quick to point out that the “vast majority” of foreigners who overstay their visas are not terrorists or criminals.
“The legislation is consistent with what the President has talked about and will support in terms of an executive order,” Sen. Kennedy said. He did not have an estimate of the legislation’s cost.
Kennedy’s bill is co-sponsored by members of both political parties in the Senate and House.
“In carrying out these urgent responsibilities,” Sen. Kennedy said, “we must do so in ways that live up to our history and heritage as a nation of immigrants. Immigrants aren’t the problem; terrorists are the problem.”
