Homeland security still held hostage

Many of the vulnerabilities that leave the U.S. at risk for terrorist attack result from the continued failure to implement and enforce fully the nation's immigration laws, and many of the loopholes are driven by political considerations, maintains a report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), Washington, D.C. "The Five Years War: Public Safety vs. Special Interests" finds terrorists still have relatively easy access to this country and, once here, can remain almost invisible as they plan their deadly attacks against Americans.

"Our greatest vulnerability lies in the continuing likelihood of intending terrorists being able to enter the country illegally, or... with fake documents, and avoid apprehension as they ... blend into the enormous illegal alien communities across the country," the study finds.

"Five years after 9/11, progress is slow towards protecting the American people against the real likelihood that terrorists are exploiting U.S. immigration policies," declares Dan Stein, president of FAIR. "In spite of the fact that the 9/11 Commission explicitly pointed out our vulnerability due to our immigration policies, the Bush Administration and many in Congress have placed the demands of special interests for open immigration ahead of their responsibilities to protect the nation."

One of the most glaring gaps in U.S. homeland defense, claims FAIR, is the perpetuation of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which allows travelers from certain countries to enter the U.S. without first obtaining a visa. The conspirators in the recently foiled plot to blow up U.S.-bound flights, as British citizens, could have boarded those planes under the VWR "The Visa Waiver Program is a clear example of an obvious threat to national security that is excused and tolerated because powerful special interests do not want to see it changed," says Stein. "This time we got quite lucky and a tragedy was averted, but it is a reminder that our enemies know where our vulnerabilities lie and they will take advantage of them with deadly consequences.

"As Americans are reminded every time they pass through an airport, the dangers posed by radical Islamic terrorists remain real and imminent," concludes Stein. "National security requires that the pleading for business as usual by special interests be rejected."

COPYRIGHT 2006 Society for the Advancement of Education
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning