The US-VISIT system was authorized but never implemented in 1996. We really do lose track of people when we try to process entry visas versus exit visas. There are also about 30 countries under the visa wavier program. And we have issued around 4 million border crossing cards (BCC) to Mexicans who can come and go as they please within a certain limitation on how far inside the US they can travel.
Internal enforcement has been virtually stopped under Obama and Bush 43 was the worst until Obama came along. There is also very little cooperation by colleges with ICE. At any one time there are over 900,000 foreign students attending US colleges. Many of these students just disappear.
>>The US-VISIT system was authorized but never implemented in 1996. <<
I don’t know if the “US-VISIT” system would work, but it sounds like it’s on the books, which was my point. What we’ve been lacking is the will to do it, and as you pointed out, Bush43 was one of the worst for having that will...until Obama came along.
So we have the law, and we certainly have the technology. We just don’t have the executive will to put it all together.
One thing Obama’s accomplished, however. He’s shown just how much the executive can get done via executive orders. If that law is on the books, a determined President could probably do almost anything he wanted when implementing it, including sending the DOJ after those college administrators who keep losing track of their students.