Sensenbrenner Praises Enforcement of Today's Visa Waiver Program Deadline for More Secure New Passports

Sensenbrenner Praises Enforcement of Today's Visa Waiver Program Deadline for More Secure New Passports
October 26, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (RWis.), a key author of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform of 2002 (P.L.107- 173), praised the enforcement of today's deadline that new passports issued by Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries must have a digital photo. Chairman Sensenbrenner stated, "I fully support and commend the Bush administration for its appropriate enforcement of today's digital photograph requirement deadline (see DHS announcement at bottom). Three years ago, I helped author the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act to address several of our Nation's vulnerabilities to terrorism."

"The leaders of the 9/11 terrorist attack either lived in Europe as resident aliens prior to the attack or traveled directly from Europe en route to the execution of this awful assault. Subsequent trials in Spain have confirmed that the 9/11 attacks were significantly planned in European countries enjoying Visa Waiver Program status. Zacarias Moussaiou, the '20th terrorist' came to the U.S. from France with a French passport under the Visa Waiver Program," said Chairman Sensenbrenner.

Specifically, the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 requires that any passport issued after October 26, 2005, and used for VWP travel, must include a digital photo. The governments of France and Italy have been notified they will be subject to visa requirements for travelers with newly issued passports. Both countries have notified the U.S. that they will
meet the requirements, though not by today's deadline. Effective today, transportation carriers will be subject to fines for transporting any visitor traveling under the Visa Waiver Program to the United States with a new passport who does not meet these requirements. The Secretary of Homeland Security has advised these carriers of the new requirements, and the U.S. Embassies in Italy and France have likewise posted notices to advise that visitors traveling under the Visa Waiver Program arriving in the United States on that date without the proper passport should not anticipate being granted entry into this country.

"I am particularly disappointed that France has not moved sooner to improve its passport security regime, especially because the French government has experienced several significant thefts of blank passports over the past two years. Today's requirement is important because digital photographs provide more security against counterfeiting than traditional photographs. Photo switching on the passport data page is much easier and cheaper with traditional photographs than with digital photographs. Millions of lost and stolen passports are in circulation, many of which have been altered to be presented by an imposter. It's critical that the U.S. take this practical and cost effective measure to reduce the risk of imposters entering with an altered passport," Chairman Sensenbrenner added. "I want to congratulate Secretary Chertoff on the success of the DHS outreach effort, as there are only two countries out of the twenty-seven in the program that failed to meet this deadline. His
Department announced the digital photo requirement on June 15, 2005, and held three meetings with all VWP countries to reinforce the requirements and explain the consequences, and it appears the majority were paying attention.

"I also want to congratulate Great Britain and Australia on beginning this week the issuance of passports on a pilot basis that are designed to meet the additional requirements set to be effective October 26, 2006. They join Belgium in raising passports up to the security standards all advanced countries should meet to improve the safety of international travel. Shoe-bombers like
Richard Reid on international flights are of concern to everyone. I strongly urge the other VWP countries to follow their lead, and have their new passports in place before next year's deadline." DHS release is below.

http://judiciary.house.gov/media/pdfs/VWPpassportdeadline102605.pdf