Posted on 10/07/2014 12:04:51 PM PDT by right-wing agnostic
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of participating foreign countries to enter the U.S. without a visa for 90 days. In exchange for this benefit, participating countries agree to information-sharing and security cooperation with the U.S., along with reciprocal travel privileges for U.S. citizens.
The rise of ISIS has created a heightened threat of foreign terrorists entering the U.S. from European countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program. Accordingly, some members of Congress are talking about ending the program.
Yesterday the Heritage Foundation took up this question. You can watch the program here.
Former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff argued that ending the VWP would be a serious mistake. Doing so, he contended, would actually deprive us of information the use of which enhances our ability to keep terrorists out of the country. It would also hurt the U.S. economically due the resulting decline in tourism, and would set back our diplomatic relations with Eastern European nations at a time when we need to present Putins Russia with a unified alliance.
(Excerpt) Read more at powerlineblog.com ...
There will be lamppost space reserved by Michael Chertoff. He stuffed his pockets by forcing us all to go thru airport scanners, in which he has a financial interest.
The Visa Wavier Program includes mostly, but not entirely, first world countries which aren’t exactly sources of illegal immigrants. It would be useful to periodically revisit which countries belong on it.
Good democratic material!
That's not meant as an argument against tightening our visa policies...just an observation.
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