Blog: The Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act - America Needs It Now!

Statement

Acts of terrorism in the United States and around the world are a clear signal that this country must take additional steps to protect itself from these horrendous acts of violence. One of the measures that will help address this situation is a bill currently being discussed by Members of Congress -- the Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act of 2015. It amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include terrorism as a risk factor that should be considered under the electronic system for travel authorization in determining the eligibility of an alien to travel to our country.

Under the current Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which was established in 1986, citizens of 38 countries can travel to the United States without visas or in person consular interviews by undergoing background security checks. In return, U.S. citizens get to travel to those countries visa-free. In 2007, the Department of Homeland Security implemented an electronic security screening system to reflect newer security threats. But there are security gaps that must be reviewed and addressed.

The fact is that around 5,000 Europeans, many of them from VWP countries, are estimated to have traveled to Syria and Iraq to join terrorist groups. It is, therefore, easier for these individuals to enter the United States. We must act to address this frightening fact.

The Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act closes the security gaps and adds protection in several ways: It will deny VWP status to those who have visited Syria, Iraq, or other terrorist hotspots in the last five years, requiring visas of these travelers to enter this country; the legislation enhances the screening of all travelers in VWP countries before they attempt to enter the United States by requiring background checks against INTERPOL databases; it takes measures to ensure VWP travelers do not falsify their background information by preventing the use of fraudulent or stolen passports and other documents by creating a database of lost and stolen documents; and it requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to terminate a country from the program if the country does not share counterterrorism data with the U.S.

In light of the high terror threat environment, it is necessary to take serious action. The Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act takes important steps toward ensuring terrorists don't misuse America's generosity and come to America through the visa waiver program.

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