Homeland Security Ends Registration

AP (via My Way) ^ | 12/1/03 | SUZANNE GAMBOA

[Mr. Mojo]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Department of Homeland Security is ending a program begun after the Sept. 11 terror attacks that required tens of thousands of mostly Middle Eastern men and boys to register with the government, officials said Monday.

Asa Hutchinson, the undersecretary for border and transportation security, said the department would focus more on individuals instead of "broad categories" of people. He said the program could be used again if there was another terrorist attack linked to a foreign country.

Hutchinson said the decision to "terminate" the program, which administration officials had hinted at last week, was not influenced by the harsh criticism by advocacy groups for people targeted and civil rights organizations.

The National Security Entry Exit Registration System, or NSEERS, required men and boys from 25 countries to be fingerprinted, photographed and interviewed at U.S. immigration offices. About 83,500 people complied and some were deported, usually for overstaying visas.

The program was targeted at men and boys from countries in the Middle East and other areas with an active al-Qaida presence, and intended to help assure the government that no known terrorists were in this country.

But the program prompted angry protests, with critics saying it unfairly targeted innocent people.

The government is expected to start a new program Jan. 5 that will digitally photograph and fingerprint millions of people who visit the United States each year on tourist, business and student visas.

The people who were required to register under NSEERS while in the United States still will be required to register each time they enter the country and to check in as they exit.

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[gubamyster]

ping

[OXENinFLA]

And this was stopped because???????

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Gotta be PC.

[Mr. Mojo]

Despite the denials of Asa Hutchison, you can bet that this decision was influenced by the criticism of CAIR, the ACLU, and other terrorist advocacy groups.

[cardinal4]

Barbara Streisand! This was one of the biggest complaints liberals had about 9-11. The admin just caved, This program should be enhanced, not shelved.

[OXENinFLA]

Oh yeah, the bleeding hearts and artists.........

But it looks like this will go back into effect on 1-5-04.

[SunStar]

The Department of Homeland Security is ending a program begun after the Sept. 11 terror attacks that required tens of thousands of mostly Middle Eastern men and boys to register with the government, officials said Monday.

Americans... slowly going back to sleep... 9/11 seems so long ago... Zzzzzzzzz......

[CatoRenasci]

Bad Idea.

[janetgreen]

with critics saying it unfairly targeted innocent people.

How about the 3,000+ people who were unfairly targeted on 9/11? I guess the foreigners count more than those people do.

[Digger]

This inept government is telling the us taxpayers that they will spend your hardearned money on social issues rather than YOUR DEFENSE. I say fire everyone in D.C.

[Tunehead54]

Register them ALL! Then no discrimination.

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;-)

[joesnuffy]

Register the firearms of honest American citizens...
but not those from terror nations?
Nice play...of course if you arent gonna close the borders....what's the difference...
it's almost as though they want terrorists in country...
kinda dialectic

[sarcasm]

Insanity.

[TLI]

And this was stopped because???????

Because the potential terrorists "complained."

Yes they are all potential terrorists, after all, the newspapers and other major media just LOVE to tell us how universally hated we Americans are and how we are the greatest threat to world peace, rah, rah...

Well, if they all hate us, then they are all suspect of acting against us. Works both ways ya know . . .

[JustPiper]

And this was stopped because???????

Complaints of racial profiling

[appalachian_dweller]

This is not the kind of news I want to hear when I come back from a vacation. Sadly, it doesn't surprise me in the least. Ending this is a really bad idea. It will do nothing but embolden the terrorists and make it easier for them to carry out another attack.

Not to sound like a broken record, but if anyone hasn't done so already, get prepared for any contingency. Again, here's a link to help with any planning...
http://www.fema.gov/pdf/areyouready/supplies.pdf

[rmlew]

Wouldn't it be nice to have a Republican administration so we have one that puts the security and liberty of the country over leftist interst groups?
Oops. My bad!

[putupon]

Homeland Security Notice:

President Bush has determined that unidentified people from
terrorist nations have the right to wander at will around the
U.S.. The Department of Homeland Security has determined
that if you follow these simple rules, you should be reasonably
safe from terrorist assaults:

1. If you work in a high rise, find another job.
2. If you commute by subway or bus, buy a car.
3. Stay away from malls, shop online.
4. Watch sporting events on TV, stay away from stadiums.
5. Don't fly on commercial aircraft.

[putupon]

And this was stopped because???????

Bush wants us to die is the only logical reason I can think of.