U.S. Encourages Immigration From Terror-Sponsor States

Human Events ^ | The Week of October 1, 2001 | Joseph A. D'Agostino

[Jean S]

Law Sponsored by Ted Kennedy Mandates Affirmative Action for Libya, Iraq, Sudan, and Syria
U.S. Encourages Immigration From Terror-Sponsor States
By Joseph A. D'Agostino
The Week of October 1, 2001

The U.S. State Department runs a quota system designed to encourage immigration from all seven countries on the department’s own terrorist watch list.

The "Diversity Immigrant Visa Program" has the goal of issuing highly prized permanent residence visas to 50,000 foreign nationals from countries that send relatively few immigrants to the United States. These visas are specifically designed to increase the diversity of the U.S. immigrant pool and are in addition to the employment- and family-based permanent visas that are granted each year.

All seven of the nations listed by the State Department as "state sponsors of international terrorism"—Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Cuba, North Korea and Sudan—are included in the program. "This was a program created by Congress," said a State Department official, and "1995 was the first year we had it."

Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which requires the State Department to run the program, was sponsored by Sen. Teddy Kennedy (D.-Mass.) in 1990 and signed into law by President George Bush.

Countries that have sent 50,000 or more immigrants to the United States in the last five years, such as Britain, Canada, mainland China, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, Pakistan, and the Philippines, are excluded from the program.

Applicants to the diversity program "still have to meet the same requirements as other applicants for permanent residence visas," a State Department official said. "Those requirements include copies of police records, interviews."

The application requirements, the official said, enable State to screen out dangerous people such as terrorists. "No one country may have more than 7% of the visas, but there is no minimum," she said. "No country is guaranteed to be able to have applicants approved under this program." Applicants enter a lottery each year, she said. Requirements include a high school diploma or a history of skilled work experience.

Thirteen million people filed applications for the 50,000 slots available next year. Of these, three million applications were ruled invalid. Of the ten million remaining, 1,703 people from Iran were awarded visas, 117 from Iraq, 67 from Syria, 26 from Libya, 757 from Cuba, none from North Korea, and 1,820 from Sudan.

Rep. Tom Tancredo (R.-Colo.), chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, had already introduced legislation to abolish the program before the September 11 attacks. Now he says he will include its abolition in the immigration reform package he plans to introduce after the House has passed the President’s anti-terrorism package. He said he expects that it will be difficult to get this reform package to the House floor.

Jack Martin, special projects director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), said he doubts that terrorists use the diversity immigrant visa program because obtaining permanent residence visas is such a long process that includes a more thorough background check than that involved in getting a temporary visa (for business, tourism, or study).

[independentmind]

As with a lot of other things, the rule here should be to follow the money. Who were the major lobbyists that supported the diversity immigrant visa program? The answer to that question might tell us quite a bit.

[Alberta's Child]

If this weren't so serious it would be comical. It's becoming more evident to me by the day that the U.S. is barely even a sovereign nation anymore. What's even more disgraceful is that it doesn't appear to have any interest in being a sovereign nation anymore.

[VinnyTex]

UnFuggin Believable

[imperator2]

INSANITY OF UNHEARD OF DIMENSION! WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY TERRORISTS AMONG THOSE IMMIGRANTS! BUSH NEEDS TO ISSUE AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO STOP THE IMMIGRATION!

[sarcasm]

hundreds of Afghan refugees have entered the country, including more than 150 who arrived at JFK on a single plane last week.

[independentmind]

It depends how you define America. I doubt that most Americans have really considered the sovereignty issue; most dismissed the WTO demonstrations as the antics of the immature and the far left. It's only a certain political and business class that has no interest in sovereignty.

[Alberta's Child]

I used to feel the same way, but I am convinced now that the real problem is a lazy, ignorant, apathetic public. Any sovereign nation that faced this kind of threat would not be worried about airline security, buying gas masks, or holding Oprah Winfrey-led prayer services at Yankee Stadium. Instead, it would be rounding up every non-citizen in the country and sending them to live in segregated areas outside the cities. Anyone who complained about this treatment could be put on barges instead, then towed out to sea and set on fire.

[independentmind]

Instead, it would be rounding up every non-citizen in the country and sending them to live in segregated areas outside the cities.

I think you would be surprised to know how many people feel just that way. I think many are hestitant to say so at this point, but I wouldn't count on that being the case for too much longer. (This is what I am hearing from native New Yorkers, at least.)

[TheGoodDoc]

"As with a lot of other things, the rule here should be to follow the money."

I remember how Hillary was caught in a patented Clinton manuever disguising money from the American Muslim Association by listing it on her federal disclosure forms as "the American Museum Association."

[Alberta's Child]

I'll go one step further. If Americans aren't willing to go to those lengths, then they may as well not do anything at all. Anything short of that will me meaningless and ineffective.

[holyscroller]

Here's a tidbit from another article: ''The visa operation is a joke over there,'' said Joseph Affatato, a US citizen who worked for the Saudi ministry of defense. ''The US Embassy [in Riyadh] is staffed by third-nation nationals. US citizens don't handle the paperwork up front. The application process is handled by Pakistanis, Indians, Sudanese, Somalis, because they work for less money.''

Handy huh? The nationals conveniently process the applications for whoever their REAL bosses tell them to, and like dopes, we rubberstamp them and let them in.

[Lexington Green]

Our government encouraged an army of terrorists to invade us like cancer... now they won't defend us.... is this really OUR government?

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

The people of Massachussetts should be ashamed to continue to vote for Kennedy......for just a name.

[Grampa Dave]

When we get through following the money with Kennedy, Hilldebeast, Torricelli and other left wing senators, there will be a paper trail about a mile wide and 8 years wide of donations open and covert from the those who support the mass murders posing as terrorists!

The follow the money trail will lead to many so called professional peace niks like Ramsey Clark, and vile professors at our liberal universities! And ?????

Where else this money trail will lead on the Arab Mass Murderers know and God!

I'm sure that we will find out about these trails on Free Republic, way before even the conservative news outfits/personalities find out about it!

Stay tuned for more breaking news on Free Republic! You will often hear/see it first right here! Then, Rush and Sean will cite the source or at least read what we have read hours or days before. Then News Max and Drudge will cite it. Lately Drudge has been a little late on the uptake!

Of course CNNCBSABCNBCCSPAN will ignore or spike these stories as the data breaks out.

[TrueBeliever9]

The Department of State has never represented the people of the United States of America! It represents the enemies of the citizens of the United States of America! It takes diplomacy to the most illogical places known to man!

[TrueBeliever9]

>>>Jack Martin, special projects director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), said he doubts that terrorists use the diversity immigrant visa program because obtaining permanent residence visas is such a long process that includes a more thorough background check than that involved in getting a temporary visa (for business, tourism, or study). <<<

And you can take Jack Martin's word to the bank on that! Probably any number of banks (off shore or in Switzerland).

[Dqban22]

Anyone who is living illegally in the U.S. who came from countries involved with international terrorism or in the promotion of hatred against our country should be given an opportunity to remain here if they provide valuable information that might be helpful in the destruction of the terrorist’s web in the U.S. Otherwise they should be deported to their country of origin. Likewise, the legal residents who are involved in anyway or form with the Islamic terrorism or are involved in spreading their propaganda and promoting anti-American hatred should also be deported from this country. If they do not cherish the freedom and opportunities this country offers to anyone regardless of race, ethnic origin or religion, they need to return where they came from. The Iranian who threatened to kill Americans in retribution for being reprimanded for smoking in the plane’s laboratory, should be immediately deported to Iran with his family. We do not need a fifth column living among us that pledges to destroy our country.

[Wolfie]

How dare you question our government's motives in this time of crisis? Don't you know that the government knows what's best for us? It's downright unpatriotic for traitors like you to question the motives of our benevolent leaders. We need a law against such traitors as you.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

F TED KENNEDY AND Libya, Iraq, Sudan, and Syria

AND F DONT STAND FOR FREEDOM

This word Diversity has become a plague upon this nation in the form of terrorism and terrorist loving countrys know it why would any american stand behind this bill?

THIS IS SHEAR LUNACY !!!