December 4, 2003	Thursday	Shawwal 8, 1424

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

WASHINGTON, Dec 3: The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) explained on Tuesday that the 30-day and annual re- registration requirements for those already registered would be suspended upon publication of the amended interim rule in the federal register.

The department had announced on Monday that it was terminating the controversial National Security Entry Exit Registration System, also known as special call-in registration programme, from Jan 5.

There were, however, some ambiguities in the earlier announcement. It was not clear whether those already registered still have to register with the immigration officials when leaving or re-entering the country.

Jennifer Salan of the Washington-based Arab American Institute, which monitors the immigration policies of the US government and stays engaged with the Department of Homeland Security, explained that individuals who complied with the programme would be required to depart from designated ports of entry and register their departure at that port.

They would also have to follow the instructions they received from the immigration official at the port of entry or exit, said an immigration lawyer, Azra Syed. “But there will be no special call-in registration,” she added.

Ms Salan warned that registration of nationals from Arab and Muslim countries would continue at port of entries and others may be required to register on a case-by-case basis.

“The decision will provide some relief to the 83,000 individuals who registered previously and were responsible for re-registering in the coming months,” Ms Salan said.

“We are clearly delighted that the DHS has taken this important step. The NSEERS was a mistake from the beginning, part of the DOJ dragnet approach to law enforcement. By announcing its intent to suspend the NSEERS, we believe the DHS has begun to correct a misguided policy initiative that produced zero results in the fight against terror,” said AAI president Dr James J. Zogby.

The coming suspension announced by the DHS provides no relief to the 13,000 immigrants who complied with the NSEERS and have already been deported. Other immigrants who fell afoul of the programme’s detailed and confusing requirements continue to face possible detention and deportation.

On Jan 5, the DHS will begin a much broader entry-exit registration system called US VISIT that will apply to all persons from non-visa waiver countries.

“This is the first sign that the Department of Homeland Security may be coming to its senses when it comes to fighting terrorism,” said Angela Kelley, Deputy Director of the National Immigration Forum (NIF).