Schumer Statement On Visa Policy For Non-Immigrants

SCHUMER STATEMENT ON VISA POLICY FOR NON-IMMIGRANTS

US Senator Chuck Schumer released the following statement on the visa policy of the United States with respect to non-immigrants:

"As efforts to safeguard our freedom and prosperity move forward, part of our nation's program to defend itself from future acts of terrorism includes a comprehensive, rational visa policy for non-immigrants- individuals who wish to visit, study, or work in the United States for a temporary period of time. While we will do everything in our power to prevent the entry of terrorists in our nation, we do not want to exclude those individuals who only come to this country to do good. Some of these individuals come to study in our high caliber universities, some come to celebrate a wedding of their American cousins, and some come to share expertise with American companies. By making family visitations unnecessarily difficult, we do not want our non-immigrant visa policy to impose an undue hardship on American citizens, including Iranian Americans, many of whom have made and continue to make outstanding contributions to the economic and social life or our country. We must be aggressive in our efforts to detect and eliminate terrorist threats without doing away with the strengths upon which we stand as a nation."

"In order to ensure we achieve these goals, continuous dialogue between the relevant federal agencies, members of Congress, and concerned citizens must exist. To this end, I am pleased to announce a series of meetings I am convening between representatives from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Central Intelligence Agency to discuss non-immigrant visa policy issues including registration requirements, visa issuance, and security screening procedures."

"On November 21, 2002, over 15 people attended the first meeting in my Washington office to discuss the Federal agencies' long-term plan for visa applications for non-immigrants. In response to questions regarding their basic security clearance framework, the agencies acknowledged that they need to present to the public a clearer understanding of the time line in which non-immigrants should apply for visas. They hope to return to a visa processing system with efficient responses and clear deadlines."

"I am optimistic that through this type of cooperation and continuous oversight, citizens concerned with the formulation of non-immigrant visa policy will be able to have their questions answered and suggestions taken. I look forward to working on behalf of New Yorkers and other Americans to implement appropriate laws and policies that will not only protect our nation from future terrorist attacks but will also ensure the entry of individuals who solely wish to contribute to the successful future of our nation."