On January 5, 2004, the Department of Homeland Security initiated the new U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US VISIT) system at our international airports and seaports. The system is scheduled to be installed at the 50 busiest land border crossings by the end of the year. This new system essentially replaces the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) program, that had only been applied to certain categories of male nonimmigrants from designated (mostly Arab and Muslim) countries. Visitors traveling from the 27 Visa Waiver countries - mostly European nations- whose citizens are allowed to come to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa, are exempt from the new US VISIT system. However, the visa waiver nationals must have biometrics added to their passports issued on or after October 26, 2004.

The "US VISIT" program is described as an automated entry/exit system designed to collect and share information on foreign nationals, including travel details and biometric identifiers, in an effort to speed traffic flow and determine who is welcome and who is not." In 1996 Congress passed section 110 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, mandating a strict entry/exit system for foreign travelers, but the law was not implemented because of the perceived negative impact on international commerce. The tragic events of 9/11/01 served to place border enforcement on the "front burner," culminating in "US-VISIT" and several other enforcement initiatives. The foreign student and exchange visitor monitoring program, referred to as "SEVIS"(Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) has already been implemented. Whether these sophisticated, technological record keeping procedures will assist in the war on terrorism is a matter that is the subject of considerable debate. It is hoped that these systems will achieve their intended purposes and not interfere with international commerce or positive foreign relations, which are important for our country's economic and national security interests.