U.S. Fingerprinting of all visitors - NEWS

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U.S. starts fingerpring program

After reading this, and seeing the photos, I can't help but be reminded of the movie "Gattaka."

Personally, if I were a terrorist, I would just try to find some way to come in from one of those exempt countries, but that's me. If this is really supposed to do any good, why should anyone be exempt?

Thoughts? Good idea? Bad idea? Pointless? Foolproof? The beginnings of a world-wide "Big Brother?"

Hello Ragusa.

 

I dont know, I cant help but to think that the majority of people who travels to the US comes from countries where you need no visa. I have traveled to the US in two occasions, one last year and one the year before that and although the security were kinda tight it was no real problem. A Swedish looking fella traveling from Sweden is probably not seen as a threat. But everyone who traveled from a visa recquired country were already under very heavy scrutiny. It didnt matter if it was a family with a bunch of toddlers, they were checked and double checked, questioned and looked at suspiciously.

I dont think making the checks tighter for those would help much at all, iirc all the 9/11 people were from flights from countries where you didnt need visas to enter the US. I dont think you should tighten security on them either, there is only so much you can do to protect yourself from lunatics before you sacrifice too much.

 

At least they're TRYING to give their citizens a feeling of more security, what else are they supposed to do, do nothing and wait and see what happens ?

 

@Pac - If they can do that, what stops them from banning guns, which many Americans love, to ensure that no terrorists can get them? Or placing armed military at every street-corner to stop terrorists from attacking civilians? This is just the beginning of a police-state never seen before, but that's off topic IMHO.

 

Today photos and fingerprints, tommorow DNA sample and who knows what else. Welcome to 1984.

EDIT: I 've just heard in the news that Brazil has decided to do the same thing to all the american citizens, who are visiting its territory.

 

Hello Death Rabbit,
well, it doesn't surprise me. I heared Brazil has now started to treat Americans the same way ... after initial complaints and anger they were explained that that's because brazilians are subject to the same procedure in the US, and they calmed down.

IMO it's pretty much a waste of energy. But if they have the time and money, swell. If not, well, one might think the money and personnel might be spent better elsewhere. It will make them find the terrorists that are stupid enough to fly into the US. It ... certainly ... will not make them find ... crashlanders like Atta and his ilk. Nor those that or are there already.

PS: Wee! My first link to the Times of India, a respectable old newspaper - notice the exotic flair already?

 

Americans fingerprinting visitors doesn't bother me much. Brazilians fingerprinting Americans doesn't bother me much. Its another inconvenience that travellers must endure, but that's all it is, just an inconvenience.

When they start body-cavity searching everyone and taking a DNA sample (like BOC said) they will have gone too far.

 

@ Ragusa

The Times of India is an excellent newspaper. Here's a few other links that you might like:

• al-Jazeera (English version) - At first the nations of the Middle East tried to get the Qatar-based news service banned or destroyed by military means.
• CNN - I know you have this one, but I had to post it.
• Arab News - This is the state-controlled newspaper in Saudi Arabia. The paper reflects the government's unpredictable support of free speech. As a result, the newspaper occasionally has some thoughtful discussion, but mostly contains propaganda.

I would also link to the London Times, but they make you pay to read their online stories.

 

They should apply this procedure to all countries, even VISA exempt ones. I fail to see why people would be so upset over this. We want to make investigating terrorism and any other crime easier by having the fingerprints of our own citizens and foreigners on file. If you want to do the same to Americans that come to your countries, then more power to you.

 

I almost agreed with you Rastor, almost.

I would have to say that you said makes a lot of sense. It only has merit if everyone is tested, or, like Death Rabbit and joacqin pointed out, it would be easy to circumvent.

Those people who do not want to be fingerprinted simply choose not to enter the country. Those who have nothing to hide, having nothing to fear.

However, on principle I must disagree. To me it is an immoral thing for a government to treat people so, and has such potential for misuse.

I would agree with Grey Magistrate in an instant, and open all countries for travel between them of their own free will. Bad things happen in the country allready, if this is adressed, as is the problem with the welfare system, then no amount of influx of likely friendly immigrants shall hurt anyone. The same applies to people leaving the country, let them go, each country has laws for it's citizens, I don't see why this isn't enough. If the beauracracy is removed from the law, it will not be needed as pertains to transport, and we shall not have to worry about becoming a police-state.

 

It started last year actually. You should see my shocking face, openining jaws that time.

The custom officer told me, "you come from Malaysia? Then you have to go through Special Registration Process".

My photograph, fingerprint, credit card numbers, address in U.S. (which i have no clue), person to contact (who i don't know) were taken down, into their huge data base of potential terrorist. Credit card numbers, can you imagine that?

This is just a start. Within the first 30 days, i have report to their immigration office, which is a 45 mins drive from Iowa State U. Every year, i have to report back to the same office. If i want go home, i have to depart from one of ports on their list and report to the office there.

A person i am who arrived in a new environment and they expect me to find transportation within 30 days. Fortunately, there are some 200 Malaysian students in ISU. A Kuwait student were no so fortunate however. He missed the date because he cannot find proper transportation. Immigration office took away his passport (can they do that?) as well as his student status. The last thing i knew from ISU Daily, he spent everything to come to U.S. and they are sending him back home.

 

In addition to the general fingerprinting of all visitors, some articles about journalists, probably the worst enemy the US has to fear ... and for them they have set up the visa-trap.

Coffee, Tea or Handcuffs?
A repressive embarrassment

Of course, it's all about procedures, and it clearly obeys to the letter, and under Ashcroft I'm sure also to the spirit, of the law.

 

Thank whatever I am not a journalist... I am actually going to States this year for my sister's wedding.

Wait, I nce wrote an article for school paper... does that mean I get deported?

/end sarcasm mode

*sigh*

Now why do I get a ffeeling of impendding doom over this?

 

Ashcrofts security mania doesn't stop here, the feds have included another likely terroist organisation to their list of likely evildoers, the green party, practically preventing greens from flying unrestricted.

Security buereaucracy at its best.

 

Hmm... Now I am even MORE convinced that they'll turn me away. After all, I DID lobby for the greens in the last elections here.

Then agai´n, I am starting to seriously wonder if even seeing my sister marry is worth having to actually go there.

 

You promised

 

Related to the wedding!

 

McCarthyism is back with a vengeance.

 

US politicians are just using this new brand "Terrorism" for their advantage, whatever the basic reason behind this is, but if other countries reply with similar demand (but only for US citizens)... I'm sure after a few years they will see the reason to stop it.

 

How many foreign visitors do, say, Disneyland and Disneyworld see a year? What would happen should those visitors choose alternate destinations, rather than put up with US customs (which were already bad before this)?