USA Visa Revocation Key Tool For Border Security
Official outlines State Department policy for visa revocations
A senior State Department official July 13 outlined the department's reform of visa revocations to enhance anti-terrorism efforts in testimony before House Committee on Government Reform's Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations.
"Border security is a multi-agency mission that requires information-sharing, cooperation, and continuous analysis and procedural review so that we stay ahead of those individuals who would seek to enter the United States to do harm to Americans or our foreign visitors," Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services Janice Jacobs said.
"We act when relevant derogatory information becomes available after a visa has been issued to an applicant who, based on information available at the time of application, was found eligible for that visa," Jacobs said.
She noted that since September 11, 2001, the State department has revoked 1,250 visas based on information suggesting possible terrorist activities or links.
"The revocation process now supplements the terrorist watch-listing work of Terrorist Screening Center (TSC), which provides the vast majority of the derogatory information on specific individuals that prompts the Department of State to revoke a visa for counterterrorism reasons," Jacobs said.
According to Jacobs, the TSC updates the State Department's Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS) database with derogatory information about an alien. If it appears that a visa might have been issued to a watch-listed alien, TSC forwards the derogatory information to the Visa Office (VO) of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, which manages the visa-revocation process for the State Department.
"As soon as VO receives the derogatory information from TSC or other agencies, it places a revocation lookout ("VRVK" code) in CLASS, which replicates in real time to the DHS's Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS) lookout system," Jacobs said adding that the lookout is thus available to DHS inspectors at ports of entry into the United States should the person seek to enter the country.
Once the State Department determines that there is a possible link between the person and the terrorist-related information, the visa is formally revoked, said Jacobs.
"We do not provide the alien with advance notice that we are considering revoking his visa," Jacobs said, "After we have revoked the visa, we ask the relevant consular post to attempt to contact the alien, but we are not in a position to determine whether the alien is in the United States or to find him and provide him with notice that the revocation has occurred."
According to Jacobs, the State Department is continually receiving information that affects the eligibility of aliens to hold their visas. She said that any information received subsequent to the visa issue that calls into question the suitability of the visa holder as potential threat to the security of the United States is used to revoke a visa.
"We deem it prudent to revoke the visa promptly after that information becomes available and to rely on the visa application process to resolve identity and other questions at a later time, should the visa holder wish to reapply for a visa," Jacobs said.
"If the holder of the revoked visa reapplies for a visa at one of our embassies or consulates abroad, a consular officer carefully screens his application and, after consultation with the Department, determines eligibility," she said.
Jacobs noted the alien whose visa was revoked might well be issued a new visa if it is determined that the information that led to the revocation does not pertain to the alien or that the alien is in any event eligible.
"Visa revocations are an important tool in maintaining the security of our borders and our nation", she said.
