BajaNomad

Photo, fingerprint checks kick in at border

Anonymous - 12-10-2004 at 04:53 PM

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/tijuana/20041210-1...

December 10, 2004

SAN DIEGO ? Photographic and fingerprinting security checks are now in use to screen visitors entering the country at port facilities in San Ysidro and Otay Mesa, federal officials announced today.

The checks began at the southern San Diego County processing and inspection centers Thursday as part of a program called US-VISIT. The procedures will be in use at all of the 50 busiest land ports of entry by the end of the month.

The system, which began in January at airports and seaports, checks photos and fingerprints against federal databases containing criminal backgrounds and terrorist watch lists, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The processes take place at secondary inspection areas, where visitors traveling with visas or passports are processed.

Those requiring an arrival/departure Form I-94 to enter the United States, including those traveling under the Visa Waiver Program, will also be processed through US-VISIT.

In addition to increasing security, the new processes will lessen wait times at border-crossing areas, program director Jim Williams said this morning during a visit to the San Ysidro port of entry, the nation's busiest.

"In Laredo, Texas, prior to US-VISIT when a visitor was processed, it took 11 minutes," he told reporters. "Now the process takes less than five minutes and, in many cases, as little as two minutes."

Another benefit of the new technology is that it frees up visitors from having to fill out Form I-94 by hand, immigration officials said.

Instead, pertinent information is entered electronically when an officer scans travel documents, further expediting a visitor's inspection time.

"The Department of Homeland Security is committed to deploying US-VISIT in a way that promotes the free flow of travelers and commerce across our land borders," Williams said.

US-VISIT procedures apply to the majority of foreign visitors.

Exceptions include most Canadians, who do not require a visa or passport to enter the United States, and, initially, most Mexican visitors, who apply for admission using a Border Crossing Card and travel within the "Border Zone."

Since Jan. 5, US-VISIT entry procedures have become operational at 115 airports and 15 seaports. More than 14 million foreign visitors have been processed as part of the program.

The government has arrest or denied admission to more than 350 criminals or immigration violators since the technologies have been in use, according to Homeland Security officials.

The detainees included prison escapees, rapists, drug traffickers, a convicted armed robber, numerous immigration violators and people attempting visa fraud.

woody with a view - 12-10-2004 at 05:16 PM

Quote:

The government has arrest or denied admission to more than 350 criminals or immigration violators since the technologies have been in use, according to Homeland Security officials.


my wife is a peruvian citizen with a permanent residency status. she has been here for over 30 years, but has a misdemeanor conviction out of houston, texas when she was 20 yrs old. the way the law is written, she can't get the conviction expunged (in texas), nor leave the country for fear of deportation upon re-entry.

if anyone has any ideas or has gone through similar situation, please post a reply or u2u. they say money can't buy happiness, but there has to be a way we can overcome this obstacle. i hate having to leave her at home every time i head south.



[Edited on 12-11-2004 by woody in ob]

[Edited on 12-11-2004 by woody in ob]

Anonymous - 12-10-2004 at 05:31 PM

easy, she can become a us citizen

woody with a view - 12-10-2004 at 05:38 PM

with the recent drama (see this thread) the gov't isn't too fond of people applying for citizenship who aren't of angelic qualities! there have been people deported for pulling another's hair (assault!!!) and other trivial matters.

anyone?

Dave - 12-10-2004 at 06:11 PM

Woody, how would a citizenship application jeprodize permanent residency status?

I would spend a few bucks and talk to an immigration attorney.



In response to the original post:

This will get rid of a lot of scum and perverts who hide down here. A good thing!

woody with a view - 12-10-2004 at 06:57 PM

the attorney we spoke to said that if an offense occured within 7? or 10? years of first being granted perm. res. that you have a "deportable offense". he said it would not be advisable to open ourselves up to the scrutiny. he said they won't come looking, but if we stir the hornets nest it will just open up problems we aren't ready to deal with at the present (actually, never).trying to get the matter expunged in texas will open the doors of justice (according to this atty) but we have hit a wall in texas. seems they don't offer the chance, even twenty years after, with no other problems, to remove the offense from your record. whereas states like calif will let you "expunge" your record after satisfying certain requirements.

i was hoping someone might have information on where to turn, or might know someone who knows someone...

muchas





















Dave - 12-10-2004 at 09:48 PM

Hey, it's Texas. Can't you pay someone? Some republican someone?

Git yourself a better attorney!

[Edited on 12-11-2004 by Dave]

Results are seen in new checks at U.S. border

Anonymous - 12-11-2004 at 09:20 AM

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20041211-9999-2m11b...

By Norma de la Vega
December 11, 2004

A new high-tech method of checking visitors to the United States has started to yield results at California border crossings.

Less than 24 hours after authorities began taking photos and fingerprinting some people crossing the border at San Ysidro, one person being sought by police for drug-trafficking was detained.

The checks are part of the U.S.-Visit Program, which monitors people coming into the United States, part of an effort to catch potential terrorists. Photos and fingerprints are checked against federal databases and terrorist watch lists.

Authorities began the program at the Calexico border crossing Monday, in Otay Mesa on Wednesday and at San Ysidro on Thursday.

In a news conference yesterday, Adele Fasano, local director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said three people had been detained at the California ports of entry since the program began.

Fasano said all those applying for permission to travel farther than 25 miles into the United States would be subjected to the high-tech checks in the secondary-inspection area. However, she stressed, immigration inspectors could direct anyone trying to cross the border to be checked.

Immigration authorities estimate that less than 1 percent of those crossing at San Ysidro, or about 400,000, will initially be subjected to the high-tech checks.

Fasano noted that although the new checks are done in a few seconds, people should allow extra time to cross the border during the peak traffic days of the holiday season.

Braulio - 12-11-2004 at 11:56 AM

Woody -

I really doubt that she's in the federal database - unless maybe it was the feds who fingerprinted her thirty years ago - and even then it's unlikely. If it was a municipal or county agency I'd say it's even more unlikely. Even in the unlikely event that they wanted to keep track of the prints back that long ago about half were of such low quality that they can't really be digitalized successfully.

About the only way I'd know to check without sending up red flags is to get to know an immigration agent on a personal level and ask him to enquire - I've found them to be surprisingly open when it comes to something like this.

I don't know where you cross the border - there are agents who have been known to occasionally have a beer at the 111 Club (believe it or not) in Calexico - just be sure you dress up before you go in - it's kind of a high class type place. Law enforcement types also frequent Hollie's in Calexico.

Good Luck.

You're wise in following your attorney's advise.

Bruce R Leech - 12-11-2004 at 12:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by woody in ob
the attorney we spoke to said that if an offense occured within 7? or 10? years of first being granted perm. res. that you have a "deportable offense". he said it would not be advisable to open ourselves up to the scrutiny. he said they won't come looking, but if we stir the hornets nest it will just open up problems we aren't ready to deal with at the present (actually, never).trying to get the matter expunged in texas will open the doors of justice (according to this atty) but we have hit a wall in texas. seems they don't offer the chance, even twenty years after, with no other problems, to remove the offense from your record. whereas states like calif will let you "expunge" your record after satisfying certain requirements.

i was hoping someone might have information on where to turn, or might know someone who knows someone...

muchas


Move to Colorado and you can get it done there easer.


















Muy interesante respuesta...

flyfishinPam - 12-11-2004 at 12:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Dave
Hey, it's Texas. Can't you pay someone? Some republican someone?

Git yourself a better attorney!

[Edited on 12-11-2004 by Dave]


Starting to sound like Mexico instead of the US...

jide - 12-11-2004 at 04:00 PM

woody,
I had a 3 years old misdemeanor on my record (sleeping in my car!!!Big deal!!) when I applied for citizenship in 2001, I had a completely worthless attorney, and still had no problems getting "naturalized" despite my record. I don't think you should worry too much.

jide - 12-11-2004 at 04:03 PM

I also know someone who got busted for growing weed, and still got his citizenship 5 years later.

woody with a view - 12-11-2004 at 06:24 PM

we have decided to make some calls to some latino advocacy groups such as "la raza" and "chicano federation" and see what kind of attorneys they might recomend. my wife is totally freaked by the prospect of being deported to a country she doesn't hardly remember and has no immediate family there either.

i, too, have a co-worker whose brother was popped ferrying illegals and still was naturalized. although this happened years ago, not in the present "climate".


Anonymous - 12-11-2004 at 07:18 PM

If it is a minor misdemeanor she will not have a problem with naturalzation. It appears she has no ties to her birthplace so it seems like an obvious step to take.
Here is link to some general information.
Good luck!
http://www.shusterman.com/natz.html