More Airports Test Tracking of Foreigners

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON -- The government's system for ensuring that foreign visitors leave the country when expected will be expanded to 11 more airports and two seaports, a Homeland Security Department official said Tuesday.

Asa Hutchinson, the undersecretary for border and transportation security, made the announcement at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, which will begin participating later this month.

All foreign visitors who travel with a visa are fingerprinted and photographed, through the US-VISIT program, when they arrive at major U.S. airports and seaports. The fingerprints and photos are automatically checked against databases to ensure that documents are legitimate and the visitor's name does not appear on terrorist or law enforcement watch lists.

Tracking the departure dates of foreign visitors has been a problem. An estimated 35 percent to 40 percent of undocumented immigrants have overstayed their visas, Homeland Security spokesman Bill Strassberger said.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-border-security,0,4331660.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[saigon68]

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