Despite accusations of ethnic profiling and demands for extension in time from various Muslim and civil rights organizations, the United States Justice Department on Dec. 16 expanded its reach, adding Pakistan and two other countries to the list of 18 previously announced countries whose nationals must register with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) periodically if they are visiting this country. Attorney General John Ashcroft justified the expansion on grounds of new intelligence received by the government.
Ashcroft had issued an order last month requiring virtually all male noncitizens over the age of 16 who come from 18 countries, mostly Arab and Muslim, to be interviewed, photographed and fingerprinted by federal authorities, The New York Times reported. The program affects tens of thousands of immigrants from those countries, most of whom hold valid work and study visas.
Following the Sept. 11 attacks, the Justice Department developed the Special Registration System, apparently to deliver a heightened watch on immigrants and nonimmigrants from countries that may be Islamic or may be hotspots of terrorist activity.
Those who fail to comply face criminal charges and immediate expulsion from the country, the report added.
The deadline for men from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya and Sudan was Dec. 16. Early that morning, the Los Angeles headquarters of the INS was ringed with hundreds of immigrants from those countries accompanied by anxious relatives and immigration lawyers, the Times reported. The hallway outside the interview room was jammed with scores of men from the five countries awaiting investigation. Similar scenes played out at immigration offices around the country.
Over the past week, INS officials enforcing the program have handcuffed and detained hundreds of men who showed up to be fingerprinted. In some cases the men had expired student or work visas; in other cases the men could not provide adequate documentation of their immigration status, the Times said.
In announcing yet another expansion of the requirements for the new INS registration, certain nationals and citizens from Saudi Arabia, Armenia and Pakistan who have entered the U.S. on or before Sept. 30, 2002, and who will remain in the U.S. after Feb. 21, 2003, must appear and register with the INS between Jan. 13, 2003, and Feb. 21, 2003.
The Justice Department was, however, forced to drop Armenia from the list on Dec. 17 after loud complaints from the Armenian government and Armenian groups in the U.S.
Known generically as the National Security Entry--Exit Registration System (NSEERS), it requires any male citizen or national (nonimmigrant males) born on or before Jan. 13, 1987, of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, and was last admitted to the U.S. as a nonimmigrant on or before Sept. 30, 2002, and who plans to remain in the U.S. after Feb. 21, 2003, must register at the local INS office. Individuals are asked to walk in voluntarily and without an appointment. This also applies to individuals who may hold dual citizenship or nationality (excluding U.S. citizens).
“In light of recent events, and based on intelligence information available to the attorney general, the attorney general has determined that the aliens described in paragraph (a) of this notice must appear before the Service and provide certain information,” said the Justice Department. It clarified that this notice applies only to very specific individuals who came into the country at a certain time.
“Based on intelligence information available to the attorney general, the attorney general has determined that registering all nonimmigrant aliens from the covered countries would not enhance national security,” said the Justice Department.
Ashcroft also considers it administratively not feasible to register everyone and thus has specified that only males 16 years and older need to be registered at this time.
Following the Sept. 11 attacks, the Justice Department developed the Special Registration System, apparently to deliver a heightened watch on immigrants and nonimmigrants from countries that may be Islamic or may be hotspots of terrorist activity. The move was vehemently criticized by civil rights and advocacy groups, whose arguments the government has countered on ground that it must keep closer track of those coming into the country from sensitive areas. Some of the approximately 35 million nonimmigrants who enter the U.S. --- and some nonimmigrants already in the U.S. ---- will be required to register with INS either at a port of entry or a designated INS office in accordance with the special registration procedures.
These special procedures also require additional in-person interviews at an INS office and notifications to INS of changes of address, employment, or school. Nonimmigrants who must follow these special procedures will also have to use specially designated ports when they leave the country and report in person to an INS officer at the port on their departure date.
Individuals required to register must submit passport, form I-94, a second form of identification, proof of residence in the U.S. such as school registration. They will be fingerprinted and photographed, and answer questions under oath during an interview with an INS officer. They will be given forms to report any change of address while in the U.S. They must also report back to the INS once a year as long as they are in the U.S. This latest notice is effective from Jan. 13, 2003.
Previous notices have applied to certain nonimmigrant nationals or citizens of Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
