Washington, D.C. (March 18, 2021) – A new report by from the Center for Immigration Studies examines the weaknesses in the current immigration vetting procedures utilized by the Department of Homeland Security, necessitating a change in biometrics collection practices and policies. Passing a background check or national security check does not mean an alien has a clean record or even that an alien is admissible under the immigration laws.
Important gaps exist in any background checks that would be conducted on applicants for any of the proposed amnesties now before Congress. The tools exist to close these immigration vetting vulnerabilities, if the Biden administration chooses to avail itself of them. The most expedient solution would be to publish an existing USCIS biometric final rule that increases the kinds of biometric information that DHS collects.
Robert Law, the Center’s director of regulatory affairs and policy, said, “Until the U.S. is able to thoroughly screen and vet aliens, bad actors and fraudsters will continue to exploit loopholes, obtaining immigration benefits and jeopardizing national security and public safety. This must be rectified before any amnesty can be considered, or we will see large numbers of fraudulent applications and ineligible illegal aliens legalized, just as we saw under the 1986 amnesty.”
|
