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Justice Department to Announce New Rules for Immigrants

Aired June 05, 2002 - 14:36   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We just got the two-minute warning from the Justice Department. We're expecting in a few minutes to hear from Attorney General John Ashcroft, who's proposing that foreign visa holders in the United States be fingerprinted and registered. Civil rights groups are going nuts about this. CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena has more on this.

Kelli, this isn't the first time we're hearing about this idea, either.

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, no, this has been something that's been debated for some time. It is all part, as you know, of the continuing fight against terrorism. Attorney General John Ashcroft is set to announce more strictly enforced regulations requiring certain visitors to the United States to register with the government. These are so-called high risk visitors who plan to stay 30 days or more from countries that are declared to be sponsors of terrorism, and several so-called al Qaeda countries.

They would be fingerprinted, photographed when they arrive at U.S. ports of entry. The would also have their passports photocopied and they would have to provide an itinerary of their planned U.S. travels. Now, in describing what high-risk means, one Justice official said mostly young males. And those countries will include Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Pakistan, among others.

And Justice wants to expand an already existing law to keep better track of everyone, from students to tourists to business travelers, who are considered possible security threats. Now, currently only residents of Iran, Iraq, Libya and Sudan are required to go through a documenting process.

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