The White House
Over the past year, the Administration has taken a
series of steps to enhance the significant security measures in the VWP. In the
wake of the attacks in Paris, the administration is announcing additional
actions today that will further enhance and accelerate these changes.
Additionally, the Administration is working closely with Congress to provide
statutory authority for many of these security enhancements, which will further
improve our ability to implement and enforce the changes.
How Does the Visa Waiver
Program Work?
·
Every
prospective VWP traveler undergoes counterterrorism screening and must receive
approval through DHS’ Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Through
ESTA, DHS evaluates whether individuals are eligible to travel to the United
States under the VWP before they are allowed to board a carrier bound for the
United States.
·
The
counterterrorism screening draws on information from U.S. law enforcement and
intelligence agencies. DHS uses this information to decide if the travel poses
any law enforcement or security risks. Without DHS approval through ESTA,
VWP travelers cannot travel to the United States and must appear in person for
a visa interview before they can be authorized to travel to the United States.
·
This process has
been enhanced repeatedly to improve security and more effectively identify
individuals who might pose a threat to the United States.
·
Travelers must
be a citizen of a VWP country to use the program. Residence in a VWP
country, or the possession of refugee travel documents issued by a VWP member
state, does not qualify an individual for VWP travel.
Recently Enhanced Security
Measures
DHS, in consultation with the Department of State, continuously
adapts the VWP to address current threats. Over the last year, the Department
of Homeland Security and the Department of State, in coordination with several
other federal agencies, have made a number of significant enhancements to the
VWP to ensure our security apparatus continues to adapt in the face of evolving
threats.
·
DHS introduced
additional data fields to the ESTA application in November 2014 that already
have produced security benefits.
·
DHS introduced
new traveler screening and information sharing requirements for VWP countries
in August 2015 specifically to address the threat posed by foreign terrorist
fighters.
·
DHS and the
Department of State are working with VWP partners to implement the new VWP
requirements, which will strengthen U.S. security and the security of our
partners.
·
These security
enhancements are part of our continuing assessments of U.S. security in the
face of evolving threats and challenges, and our determination to stay one step
ahead of those threats and challenges.
New Changes Announced Today
Given the terrorist attacks in Paris and the ongoing
threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters, the United States is aggressively
strengthening its Visa Waiver Program and bolstering our relationships with VWP
partners by immediately moving forward on the following administrative actions:
·
DHS will
immediately take steps to modify its Electronic System for Travel Authorization
(ESTA) applications to capture information from VWP travelers regarding any
past travel to countries constituting a terrorist safe haven. The
Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with the Secretary of
Homeland Security, will identify and regularly review these countries so that
traveler risk assessments can be made on the most up-to-date information.
·
The Department
of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and other
appropriate agencies will accelerate its review process for VWP partner
countries and within 60 days, will provide a full report to the President:
o Identifying possible pilot programs designed to assess the
collection and use of biometrics (fingerprints and/or photographs) in the VWP
to effectively increase security; and
o Identifying any countries that are deficient in key areas of
cooperation, along with recommended options to engender compliance using a
range of penalties and incentives available under his current authority
including the more frequent submission of ESTAs and/or the suspension of ESTA
issuances (new and/or renewals) for citizens of countries that fail to meet key
metrics.
·
The Director of
the Federal Bureau of Investigation will evaluate the terrorism information
sharing that occurs between the United States and VWP countries, in consultation
with the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretaries of State and
Homeland Security, and provide a report to the President of the United States
within 60 days identifying options to mitigate any deficiencies.
·
DHS will offer
assistance to countries to better facilitate terrorism information sharing,
specifically to include biometric pilots. For example, DHS and the
Terrorist Screening Center will assist all interested VWP countries in
screening refugees or asylum seekers, including through the application of
extensive terrorism information already provided to VWP members and through
piloting capability for conducting near real time biometric checks.
·
The Secretaries
of DHS, State, and Commerce will promote the Global Entry program among VWP
partners to further expand this trusted traveler program, which includes
biometrics.
·
The Secretary of
Homeland Security will work with Congress to seek authority to increase Advance
Passenger Information System (APIS) fines from $5,000 to $50,000 for air
carriers that fail to verify a traveler’s passport data.
·
The Departments
of Homeland Security and State, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S.
intelligence community elements will deploy Foreign Fighter Surge Teams to work
with countries to counter terrorist travel.
·
The Departments
of Homeland Security and State will encourage and provide assistance as needed
to enhance border security and legislation related to FTFs of our partner
countries, and encourage more robust information sharing, better use of shared
information, and more effective and efficient coordination between our
partners.
Working with Congress to
Enhance the Visa Waiver Program
The Administration is working with Congress to provide
statutory authority for many of the key security enhancements to VWP,
including:
·
Improving our
ability to identify individuals who may have traveled to conflict zones to
train or fight with terrorist organizations or other adversaries and increasing
information sharing between our VWP partners and INTERPOL;
·
Maximizing the
use of international agencies like INTERPOL to track lost and stolen travel
documents, and to prevent their usage for illicit travel;
·
Encouraging VWP
partner countries to share information and to use that information in their own
border screening activities;
·
Accelerating the
requirement for 100% of VWP travelers to use e-passports (i.e., passports with
embedded security chips);
·
Exploring how
biometrics could be effectively added to the VWP process; and
·
Expanding the
use of the DHS’ Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance program,
through which CBP law enforcement officers inspect passengers and their baggage
– to include collecting and screening biometrics where appropriate – at foreign
airports prior to departing for the United States
o Through the current round of expansion, CBP is in
negotiations with airports in seven VWP participant countries (Belgium, Japan,
Norway, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). Support for
Preclearance expansion will greatly increase border and aviation security in
the United States and abroad.
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