Suspend visa waiver programmes for countries with citizens fighting for Isis, say US politicians– Bernama

Against the backdrop of proliferating discussions over the possible entry into the country of potential terrorists, a number of US politicians have urged the administration to suspend the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) for countries whose nationals have been fighting alongside groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis) in the Middle East and elsewhere.

A copy of such a representation made to the administration was made available to Bernama by US congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard yesterday, urging the administration to immediately suspend the VWP benefit to countries that have large numbers of Islamic extremists actively fighting with Isis.

While others have been raising the alarm bells in media interviews and in public forums, Gabbard has gone directly to the administration and highlighted the harm that can be caused to the national interests if these extremists entered the United States.

Gabbard, a former army national guard captain who has done two tours of duty in the Middle East with first-hand information about the region, said: "As things presently stand, Islamic extremists holding British, German, French or other European passports can simply get on a plane and fly to America without a visa."

He said that the safety and security of Americans should be of the highest priority, and this Visa Waiver Programme puts the American people in great danger.

"I urge the Administration to immediately suspend the Visa Waiver Programme for countries such as Great Britain, Germany, and France, which have thousands of citizens fighting alongside Islamic extremist groups like Isis, in the Middle East or around the world.

"By suspending the Visa Waiver Programme, all visitors from these countries will have to go through a visa application process before they are allowed to step on US soil. Simultaneously, I will work with my colleagues to take action in Congress to address this issue and plug this gaping hole in our national security."

There are 38 countries participating in the VWP, which is administered by the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security. Under this programme, the eligible citizens of these countries can travel to the US and stay for up to 90 days without first having to obtain a visa.

The Malaysian community in the US is also wondering if the ongoing debate in the US over suspending the VWP for nationals of certain countries would adversely impact or delay the US move to extend the VWP facility to Malaysia.

The VWP for Malaysia which was discussed during the visit of US President Barack Obama to Malaysia a few months back, has been in the pipeline for some time but there has been no formal announcement yet from the US authorities on the issue.

"The US administration has been silent about the Visa Waiver Programme for Malaysian nationals, and some of us wonder if and when the next move will be taken by the US,” a New York-based Malaysian, who wanted his parents from Malaysia to visit him in the US, told Bernama on the condition of anonymity.

The US Department of Homeland Security has set up immigration checking facilities at a number of overseas airports.

During an event organised on Thursday at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) – the CFR is the country’s leading think thank on foreign affairs – in New York, Jeh Charles Johnson, the US Secretary of Homeland Security, spelt out several measures aimed at pro-actively deterring and preventing the entry of potential extremists into the country.

Johnson stressed that in the long term, the Department of Homeland Security was pursuing pre-clearance at overseas airports with flights to the United States.

“This means inspection by a US customs officer and enhanced aviation security before a passenger gets on the plane to the United States,” he said.

“We now have pre-clearance at airports in Dublin, Shannon, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, and the Caribbean. I regard it as a homeland security imperative to build more,” he said, adding: “I want to take every opportunity we have to expand homeland security beyond our borders.” – Bernama, September 13, 2014.