SECURE VISA LEGISLATION TO HELP REDUCE TERRORIST ENTRY

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE AND ACTION ALERT!!

ACT! for America Adds
The Secure Visas Act of 2010
to Its List of  “High Priority Legislative Proposals”

We want to stop future “Underwear Bombers”
from flying into the U.S.

By Lisa Piraneo, Director of Government Relations
After 9/11, and in response to the fact that several of the 9/11 terrorists had obtained U.S. visas, Congress created the Visa Security Program (VSP) to increase the security of the visa process at U.S. embassies and consulates.

Today, Visa Security Units (VSU) are operating in several foreign cities, such as Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Islamabad, Pakistan. At these posts, 100 percent of visa applicants receive additional screening.

Unfortunately, the Obama administration does not appear to see the importance of increased visa screening­even though the “Underwear Bomber” had a U.S. visa. Incredibly, there is no visa security presence in high risk locations such as London, Yemen, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, or Nigeria.

How does all of this affect U.S. security? At posts without a Visa Security Unit less than 2% out of 5.8 million applications receive additional screening. That’s a lot of potential terrorists missed!

Representative Lamar Smith (TX-21) and Senator John Cornyn (TX) recently introduced legislation to improve the security of our nation’s visa issuing process. The Secure Visas Act of 2010 (H.R. 4758 in the House and S. 2944 in the Senate) mandates not only that the Department of Homeland Security maintain U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Visa Security Units (VSU) at the 14 consular posts that already have them, but that such units are created at the 16 other posts that have been designated by ICE as “highest risk.”

ACT! for America has added both of these important proposals to our list of “High Priority” legislation­legislative initiatives that we feel will help protect our nation and its citizens against the many threats of radical Islam.

We hope you will become familiar with the Secure Visas Act of 2010 CLICK HERE, as well as the other legislative proposals on the list, and do your part to protect our nation by taking the action noted below. Forming and maintaining relationships with your elected officials, and their staff, is critical to winning the fight against radical Islam and to protecting our nation for our children and grandchildren.