FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 22, 2010

Isakson, Chambliss Co-Sponsor Legislation to Close Critical Security Gaps in Visa Screening Process

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today co-sponsored legislation to close critical security gaps in our current visa screening process, which, had they been addressed sooner, could have prevented Nigerian terrorist Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab from boarding the plane to Detroit on Christmas day.  

“The attempted terror attack on Christmas Day was a frightening reminder that there are still those who remain intent on harming Americans and that our national security system is still lacking,” Isakson said. “It is essential that we do everything we can to prevent this kind of incident from ever happening again. This legislation would go a long way toward correcting the flaws in our visa system that allowed this man to board a plane in the first place.”

"This bill will make our country safer by ensuring that those visitors who have their visas revoked due to suspected terrorist involvement will not be able to remain in the United States to endanger our citizens," Chambliss said.

The legislation, S.2944, would require the Department of Homeland Security to deploy personnel to conduct on-site visa reviews in high-volume visa posts and high-risk countries. It would also clarify that DHS has the ultimate authority to revoke any visas in the interests of our national security as well as require updates to law enforcement and consular databases of revoked visas.

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