S. needs to develop a more secure and thorough system. These federal law enforcement agencies must collect the names of people who should not be admitted into the United States. This includes individuals suspected to be connected to terrorism, people who were denied visas in the past, and those who have criminal records. This intelligence must be shared, consolidated and updated on a consistent basis to make this system effective. .
In March of this year, the House of Representatives passed the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act. The purpose of this bill is to enhance the border security of the United States, secure the visa entry process and enhance our nation's ability to deter potential terrorists. The Border Security act addresses many problems faced by our law enforcement agencies today. Issues discussed involve the necessity of gathering intelligence about potential terrorists and forwarding this information to gatekeepers efficiently, providing a layered screening system that uses technology and linked databases to identify criminals and more blockades to further inhibit their entry into the US. The Act also introduces solutions in determining how the United States government might work best with the governments of Canada and Mexico to deter terrorists from arriving in North America and ways to keep them from crossing the borders into the U.S. In a study published by the Center for Immigration Studies, it was shown that of 48 al Qaeda terrorists, including those involved in the September 11th attacks, at least 22 had committed significant violations of immigration policies prior to partaking in terrorist activities.
The Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act also includes a limited, temporary extension of Section 245 from the Immigration and Nationality Act. This section involves instructions regarding the place where individuals can pick up their visas when they become available, either abroad or domestically.