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United States · Law · HR

H.R. 3525 (107th)

Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002

enactedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

19 December 2001

Last action

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Status

Became Public Law No: 107-173.

Sponsors

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Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

10 August 2026

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Summary

Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2001 - Directs the Attorney General, during each of FY 2002 through 2006, to increase the number of Immigration and Naturalization (INS) investigators and inspectors. Waives INS personnel limits. Authorizes appropriations for INS, Border Patrol, and consular personnel, training, facilities, and security-related technology. Provides for machine-readable visa fees. Directs U.S. law enforcement and intelligence entities to share alien admissibility- and deportation-related information with INS and the Department of State. Directs the President to develop a law enforcement and intelligence sharing plan for INS and the Department of State. Provides: (1) source and privacy protections; and (2) criminal penalties for information misuse. Directs: (1) INS to fully integrate its databases and data systems; and (2) the President to develop and implement an interoperable law enforcement and intelligence data system (with name-matching and linguistic capacity) for visa, admissibility, or deportation determination purposes. Directs the President to establish the Commission on Interoperable Data Sharing, which shall: (1) monitor information misuse protections under the alien screening plan; and (2) provide oversight of the interoperable data sharing system. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (Act) to direct the Secretary of State (Secretary), upon issuance of an alien visa, to provide INS with an electronic version of the alien's visa file prior to the alien's U.S. entry. Sets forth technology standard and interoperability requirements respecting development and implementation of the integrated entry and exit data system and related tamper-resistant, machine-readable documents containing biometric identifiers. Requires visa waiver country certification that it has a program to issue to its nationals qualifying machine-readable passports that are tamper-proof and contain biometric identifiers. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a Terrorist Lookout Committee at each U.S. mission; and (2) provide consular staff with visa screening training. Prohibits the admission of an alien from a country designated to be a state sponsor of international terrorism unless the Secretary has determined that such individual does not pose a U.S. risk or security threat. Conditions participation in the visa waiver program upon a country's timely reporting to the United States of its stolen blank passports. Provides for data system entry of lost or stolen U.S. or foreign passport identification numbers. Directs the President to study the feasibility of establishing a North American National Security Program (United States, Canada, Mexico), including consideration of alien preclearance and preinspection. Amends the Act to: (1) require commercial aircraft or vessels arriving at, or departing from, the United States to provide immigration officers with specified passenger, other occupant, and crew manifest information; and (2) direct the President to conduct a feasibility study regarding such provisions' extension to commercial land carriers. Amends the Ports and Waterways Safety Act to revise and specify vessel prearrival message requirements. Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to direct the Attorney General to develop an electronic means of verifying and monitoring the foreign student and exchange visitor information program, including aspects of: (1) documentation and visa issuance; (2) U.S. admission; (3) institution notification; (4) documentation transmittal; and (5) registration and enrollment. Requires an institution to notify INS respecting student failure to enroll. Increases student data collection requirements. Specifies information required for foreign student visa applications. Provides for INS and Department of State review of institutions authorized to enroll or sponsor foreign students and exchange visitors. Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to extend the deadline for presentation of biometric border crossing identification cards. Directs the Secretary and INS to study alternative approaches to for encouraging or requiring Mexico, Canada, and visa waiver countries to develop an intergovernmental network of interoperable international electronic data systems. Directs the Department of State to retain every nonimmigrant visa application in judicially and administratively admissible form for a period of seven years from the date of application.

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Documents

15 official files

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