Speech #1040197463

I see mich about the protection of the safety and welfare of Americans. but nothing about protecting the rights of foreign terrorists to travel freely to the United States whenever they choose. The second of my bills contained in S. 735 is the Law Enforcement and Intelligence Sources Protection Act. This legislation would significantly increase the ability of law enforcement and intelligence agencies to share information with the State Department for the purpose of denying visas to known terrorists. drug trafficters. and others involved in international criminal activities. This provision would permit a U.S. visa to be denied for law enforcement purposes without a detailed written explanation. which current law requires. These denials could be made citing U.S. law generically. without further clarification or amplification. Individuals who are denied visas due to the suspicion that they are intending to immigrate to the U.S. would still have to be informed that this is the basis. and they would then be allowed to compile additional information that may change that determination. Under a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act. a precise written justification. citing the specific provision of law. is required for every alien denied a U.S. visa. This requirement was inserted into the INA out of the belief that every nonAmerican denied a U.S.-visa for any reason had the right to know the precise grounds under which the visa was denied. even if it was for terrorist activity. narcotics trafficking. or other illegal acts. This has impeded the willing- ness of law enforcement and intelligence agencies to share with the State Department the names of excludable aliens. These agencies are logically concerned about revealing sources or compromising an investigation by submitting the names of people known to be terrorists or criminals--but who do not know that they are under investigation by U.S. officialsif that information is then revealed to a visa applicant. as current law requires. This is information the United States should be able to protect until a case is completed and. hopefully. law enforcement action Is taken. But for the protection of the American people we should also make this information available to the Department of State to keep these individuals out of our country.