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http://sg.news.yahoo.com/020419/1/2o95t.html Friday April 19, 2:16 PM US Senate passes ban on visitors from state sponsors of terrorism -The Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act, passed unanimously (97-0) in the Senate late Thursday, prohibits admission of people from Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan and North Korea unless they are coming to the United States as immigrants. The US Senate, still reeling from the September 11 attacks, moved to bar visitors from countries formally declared sponsors of terrorism, and tighten control over foreign students coming to the United States. The Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act, passed unanimously (97-0) in the Senate late Thursday, prohibits admission of people from Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan and North Korea unless they are coming to the United States as immigrants. However, the US secretary of state will have the ability to grant a waiver to those deemed not a risk to US national security. The measure marked another step by Congress to enhance domestic security in the wake of the September 11 attacks that were carried out by terrorists who managed to enter the United States legally, including on student visas. "We know the chances of another terrorist attack are great, and we know it is unconscionable for our systems to allow entry of another terrorist into the United States," warned California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, one of the sponsors of the bill, during the debate preceding the vote. "Unless we move on this bill, we cannot possibly remedy the faults in our system," she added. As many as 16,000 nationals from Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, and Syria have entered the United States as students over the past 10 years, according to congressional officials. It was not immediately known how many come every year to visit relatives and friends living in the United States or as tourists. The measure also significantly tightens control over foreign students studying in US universities and colleges. It requires the State and Justice Departments to closely monitor these students' arrivals, enrolment into classes as well as their dropping out. If the bill becomes law, which is largely expected, universities will be asked to report foreign students not showing up for classes to immigration authorities. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax http://taxes.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk