I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. today we come together to address vulnerabilities in our Visa Waiver Program to make our country safer. What is the Visa Waiver Program? It was established long before 9111. In order for a country to be admitted to the Visa Waiver Program. fewer than 3 percent of its applicants for a visitor visa can be denied. Often. the denial of a visitors visa has nothing to do with security. Rather. it is frequently based on a judgment of whether the applicant is likely to return to his home country. It is fair to say that persons who are poor are often judged to be less likely to return to their home country than a more affluent applicant with extensive financial ties to his or her home. That is the reason why there are no impoverished countries in the Visa Waiver Program. Most of Europe. Japan.
Identified stereotypes
Persons who are poor are often judged to be less likely to return to their home country.