http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs. ... 35/OPINION

Slow going on visa tracking



January 2, 2007
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Recent federal efforts to keep illegal immigrants out of the United States have ranged from "sending a message" by arresting them at their workplaces to voting to build a fence along the Mexican border. Meanwhile, many illegal immigrants are visitors who have overstayed their visas.

That phenomenon usually gets fewer headlines, but when it comes to national security, it deserves attention. After all, some of the 9/11 hijackers were men who remained in this country after their visas expired, not those who crossed the Mexican border looking for a job.

It's been 10 years since Congress ordered immigration officials to create a system that monitors everyone who enters and exits the country. After the 2001 attacks, it was also a recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. There have been some successes on the entry part: In the past few years, the Department of Homeland Security has prevented hundreds of questionable individuals from entering though a program called US-VISIT. Since 2003, $1.7 billion has been allocated for the program.

But another congressional mandate requiring the tracking of some travelers to ensure they exit the country hasn't fared so well.

A recent report by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, found technology to track exits is very expensive and a long way off.

The slow progress is frustrating, but work toward that goal should continue. Knowing who is in the country is an important part of keeping Americans safe at home.