WASHINGTON, Dec 20: Seeking to thwart potential terrorists, the US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation to crack down on aliens who overstay their visas or counterfeit them.

The measure would require the State Department within two years to issue tamper-resistant “biometric” visas that are readable by machines that scan for facial features. Aliens entering the country would have to have passports bearing photographs with the same features.

The measure would also strengthen the foreign student tracking system by requiring the system to monitor the acceptance of aliens by educational institutions and whether they are actually enrolled there.

The bill must still pass the Senate, but supporters said they hoped it would be brought up there later this week. The measure was introduced by Rep. James Sensenbrenner.

Several of the 19 suspected hijackers who carried out the Sept 11 attacks on the United States had overstayed their visas and one had been admitted on a student visa.

“The Sept 11 terrorist attacks vividly illustrate how acutely vulnerable our immigration system is to exploitation by those aliens who wish to harm Americans,” Sensenbrenner said.

The measure would also bar nationals of countries that Washington has on its list of “state sponsors” of terrorism, such as Libya and Iraq, unless it has been determined that the aliens do not post a threat.—Reuters