President Creates Terrorism Task Force - May Affect Students
Posted Nov 09, 2001

“We welcome legal immigrants, and we welcome people coming to America. We welcome the process that encourages people to come to our country to visit, to study or to work," President Bush said Monday, October 29, 2001, in an announcement outlining his impending crackdown on terrorists entering the United States. "What we don't welcome are people who come to hurt the American people, and so therefore, we're going to be very diligent with our visas and observant with the behavior of people who come to this country.”

Officials have determined that, of the 19 suspected hijackers in the September 11^th attacks whose status they can document, at least two entered the U.S. as students, nine were listed as visitors (tourists), and the others were in some other nonimmigrant category. Law-enforcement officials believe many of the suspects would have been denied access -- or more closely monitored, at least, -- if a tougher, border policy had been in place.

White House aides said the President announced the creation of the "Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force" in an effort to bar entry for those who may commit or support terrorist acts. The new task force will also coordinate efforts by government agencies to locate, detain, prosecute, or deport terror group associates who are already in the U.S. The task force is to be headed by Steven C. McCraw, Deputy Assistant Director of the Intelligence Branch, Investigative Services Division at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Personnel from the U.S. Department of State, FBI, Immigration and Naturalization Service, the U.S. Secret Service, Customs Service, and the intelligence community will be included.

The task force will help to improve coordination and the sharing of information among participating agencies. In discussing how the INS would make use of this information, its Commissioner James Ziglar noted, "We're not talking about immigration. We're talking about evil."

The new task force is expected to recommend a new, border policy in the near future. President Bush instructed the Departments of Justice, Treasury, and State to work with Canada and Mexico on a shared immigration and customs database that would make all three nations' cross-border policies compatible. He also asked White House science and technology experts to work with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on recommendations utilizing advanced technology in the enforcing of immigration laws.

The Foreign Terrorist Task Force could also impose restrictions on student and work visas. In asking for a complete review of student visa policies, the Bush Administration plans to institute tighter controls and prohibit the education and training of foreign nationals who would use their training to harm the U.S. or its allies. The President declined to give specific details about what changes foreign students might expect, except to say his administration will "tighten up the visa policy" and keep an eye on students after they arrive. "We're going to make sure that when somebody comes we understand their intended purpose, and that they fulfill the purpose on their application," he said. While some lawmakers have proposed a six-month moratorium on new foreign student visas until such time as a system can be implemented for tracking them, the President does not favor this action.

Consequently, President Bush will call upon the Departments of State, Justice, Education, Defense, and Energy, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to institute tighter controls for the purpose of ensuring that student visas are issued appropriately. Despite the President's reassurances, some civil liberties organizations have expressed concern that the task force may recommend overly stringent policies that would adversely affect all foreign visitors and result in restrictive immigration laws.

Immigrant advocates emphasize, however, that the President has gone out of his way to express his support of immigration. The September 11^th attacks have prompted some in Congress to push for restrictions at all immigration levels, but such proposals have not garnered widespread approval among lawmakers and are apparently not favored by the Bush Administration.