http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/st...4525745&EDATE=

Judicial Watch Releases U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Figures on Non-Immigration Saudi Visas

Data Released as Part of a Larger Judicial Watch Investigation of U.S.
Government Policies and Practices Regarding Student Visas

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Judicial Watch, the
public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government
corruption, today released records from U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) detailing the number of Saudis living in the United
States on student visas. The records report that, as of January 25, 2007,
there were 9,952 "active Saudi Arabian students" in the United States, on
three different types of visas.
According to the documents obtained by Judicial Watch in response to
its March 24, 2006, Freedom of Information Act request 9,787 students
possess F-1 visas, which are designated for foreign students pursuing a
full course of academic study. Nine students possess visa type M-1, which
are designated for foreign students pursuing a full course of vocational or
recognized non- academic program. The remaining 156 possess visa type J-1,
meant for foreign nationals who are selected by a sponsor to participate in
an exchange visitor program.
According to other ICE official records dated September 6, 2005, there
are 611,581 active foreign students in the United States eligible for F-1
and M-1 student and vocational visas. The same records indicated that there
are 154,471 exchange visitors eligible for J-1 "exchange" visas.
Judicial Watch launched an open records investigation of the U.S.
government's policies concerning student visas following a Bush
administration joint statement with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah in April
2005 increasing the number of Saudi students permitted to travel to and
study in the United States.
"These records are particularly significant as we assess the national
security issues caused by the student visa program," said Judicial Watch
President, Tom Fitton. "Judicial Watch will continue to seek information
from the U.S. government concerning the student visa program to make sure
that it is not being exploited by terrorists."
Judicial Watch's investigation of the increase of student visas to
Saudi nationals is part of its ongoing investigation of the government's
failure to protect American citizens from the threat of terrorism. On
September 11th, 2001, 15 of the 19 terrorist hijackers carrying out the
attacks were Saudi nationals, and all of them were issued student visas.
The ICE documents are available on Judicial Watch's Internet site,
http://www.judicialwatch.org.



SOURCE Judicial Watch