The Department of Homeland Security today will suspend a controversial program that required tens of thousands of Arab and Muslim men to register at immigration offices.
The program was launched after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, amid concerns that immigration officials did little to keep track of millions of foreigners entering the country each year. Men and boys from 24 predominantly Muslim countries and North Korea, though they were already in the United States, were required to report for photographs, fingerprints and interviews. They were required to repeat the process every year.
This “call-in” registration program sparked outrage among civil libertarians and Muslim and Arab groups, who argued it was ethnic and religious profiling — and said it was unlikely to catch any terrorists.
Homeland Security spokesman Bill Strassberger said the program was being dropped because it was not the most efficient or effective use of resources.
“Although the program has been useful, we feel we can be more effective by a program that’s individual-based, something that targets individuals of concern, rather than broad categories of people,” Strassberger said.
He described the program as a first step toward a more comprehensive tracking system that takes effect in January, when visa holders from all nations will be registered as they enter the United States.
“We had to start with those who presented probably the greatest risk, those being people from countries where al- Qaida is active, or other terrorist organizations that present a threat to the United States.”
Under the new congressionally mandated program, known as U.S. VISIT, visa-holders of all nations will be photographed and digitally fingerprinted upon arrival to the United States starting Jan. 5. Inspectors can still refer those visitors on for the same background interview used in the suspended program.
Men from the 25 designated countries can expect to be referred for these more in-depth interviews when they enter the country, Strassberger said. However, today’s changes mean they will no longer have to report back to reregister in 30 days and then yearly, and they will only be required to undergo the process when they enter the country.
Nationwide, more than 83,000 males 16 and older reported for the special registration, according to the Homeland Security Department. Of those, 13,799 were placed in deportation proceedings, usually for overstaying a visa.
Critics charge that not a single terrorist was caught as a result of the program. Homeland Security officials say 11 people with suspected terrorist ties were identified, but will not elaborate.
South Florida Muslims say the pressure the registration program put on their community was devastating.
“In many cases families were torn apart, either husband or wife was deported and in many cases they’re still apart,” said community activist Mohammad Javed Qureshi.
While hundreds of Iranians were detained on their registration deadline at the Los Angeles immigration office a year ago, authorities in South Florida often did not detain immigrants who were in the process of legalizing their status. Still many faced bonds of $7,500 and deportation.
Qureshi complained had they been better prepared, many could have avoided detention.
“INS did not make this process publicized to the masses of public who fell in that category,” he said “People were basically in the dark.”
Civil rights and legal groups critical of the registration program welcomed the change but said problems remain, including a mandatory exit interview that those who complied with “call-in” registration still face when they leave the United States.
“People are facing chaos, really, to try and find the office, try to find the proper personnel to go through this exit interview before they catch their flights,” said Kareem Shora of the Washington-based American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
Others wonder what will happen to the people who were supposed to register, but never did. Miami immigration attorney Anis Saleh has two clients who were born in Middle Eastern countries but are citizens of Canada and Venezuela and were unaware they had to register. One is a medical resident at Jackson Memorial Hospital, and was recently called down to immigration offices and handcuffed, Saleh said.
“They are trying to deport him because he didn’t register,” Saleh said.
Relieved that the registration program has been suspended, South Florida Muslims hope that it is gone for good. But a bitter taste remains.
“This program did not achieve the immigrants’ true confidence in the system,” said Ahmed Kabani, president of South Florida’s Pakistani-American Chamber of Commerce. “They have become more fearful rather than sharing information.”
Tanya Weinberg can be reached at or 305-810-5029.
