Forbes Doesn’t Know Consular Law



A Forbes Op-Ed writer wrote an article on “The GOP and Immigration” on December 17 where he lamented that, “Some American consular officials treat every prospective visitor as if he wants to stay in the U.S. illegally.” This statement, alone, demonstrates the shallowness of the writer’s understanding of the U.S. immigration system.

The scrutiny of visitor visa applicants by State Department consular officers that he is decrying is in fact their faithful discharge of the law. Immigration and Nationality Act Section 214(b) states, “Every alien …shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer …that he is entitled to a nonimmigrant status…”

A consular officer who acts otherwise is violating the law.

About Author

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Jack, who joined FAIR’s National Board of Advisors in 2017, is a retired U.S. diplomat with consular experience. He has testified before the U.S. Congress, U.S. Civil Rights Commission, and U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform and has authored studies of immigration issues. His national and international print, TV, and talk radio experience is extensive (including in Spanish).

2 Comments

  1. avatar

    Maybe because so many do stay past their leave date. You can go to the Bahamas for a day trip and they will check you out coming and going. I guess we’re the only country whose immigration laws are supposed to be optional.

  2. avatar

    I Also Wonder How Much of the Drug Organized Crime Money Flows Back to Washington DC and the Banksters?

    Our government agencies have become octopus tentacles of large organized crime centers pushing for sweatshop labor, i.e., slavery.