Airports Testify on US-VISIT Exit System
Washington, D.C. (July 16, 2008)— Airports Council International– North America (ACI-NA) President Greg Principato testified today before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism on “Implementing the 9/11 Act Mandates for Enhancing the Visa Waiver Program.” Principato voiced his support of the Visa Waiver Program and the positive impact of the program on tourism and the economy.
Principato also expressed the position of ACI-NA members on the implementation of US-VISIT Exit at air ports of entry, which is one of the requirements mandated by the 9/11 Act of 2007.
Principato told members of the Subcommittee, “Airports are prepared to partner with the airlines, with Congress, and with DHS [Department of Homeland Security] in this endeavor as it is vitally important to ensure that there is a system in place to determine whether or not a foreign visitor has overstayed the terms of his or her visa or other travel authorization.
“However, ACI-NA does not support the Department of Homeland Security’s recent proposal that airlines collect the biometrics of foreign visitors as they are departing the United States. DHS should perform the inherently governmental function of collecting the biometrics, implementing the system, and funding the associated costs,” Principato said.
ACI-NA proposed six principles that would create the best approach to implement a US-VISIT Exit system in an efficient, effective and timely manner:
1. DHS Responsibility: US-Visit Exit should be operated and staffed directly by DHS or in a contractual program similar to the Transportation Security Administration Screening Partnership Program.
2. Federally Funded: All costs, including staffing and funding resources, associated with procurement, implementation, operation, maintenance, and staffing of US-VISIT Exit must be borne by the federal government.
3. Last Point of Departure: The collection of biometrics from departing foreign visitors should occur at the airport where the traveler is ultimately departing the United States.
4. Sterile Area: To ensure the security and integrity of the US-VISIT Exit system and to decrease the impact on passengers who are not subject to US-VISIT Exit rules, fingerprints should be collected from departing visitors within the sterile area of an airport.
5. Consultation with Airport Proprietors and Airlines: Cooperation between DHS and airport proprietors and airlines is vital in determining specific solutions on implementation of the US-VISIT Exit system.
6. Collection via Mobile Devices: To reduce costs, increase efficiency, and minimize the impact on airport facilities, devices used to collect fingerprints should be mobile and easy to relocate.
“ACI-NA would urge that DHS undertake an extensive public outreach and education campaign about the new exit requirements when the final rule is issued,” Principato said. “The economic benefits from international visitors traveling to the United States are significant, both for airports and for the U.S. economy. We must ensure that US-VISIT Exit is an efficient and effective system that does not endanger continued travel and tourism to our country.”
CONTACT:
Victoria Houghton, vhoughton@aci-na.org, (202) 861-8080
Eileen Denne, edenne@aci-na.org, (202) 293-4537