In 2001, most Americans became aware of the F-1 student visa. Hani Hasan Hanjour, the terrorist who crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon, had entered the U.S. as an F-1 student in order to attend flight school. The 9/11 Commission noted that the student visa program was vulnerable to abuse and recommended that security measures be tightened. But as images of the World Trade Center collapse faded into memory, student visa security disappeared from public consciousness.
However, the F-1 program has remained a pipeline for immigration violators. The Obama administration was unable to locate 6,000 foreign nationals who disappeared after entering the U.S. on student visas. And at least 26 student visa holders have been arrested on terrorism charges since 9/11.
The F-1 visa is back in the news. Yahya Farooq Mohammad, a native of India, entered the United States on a student visa. From 2002 to 2004, he was enrolled in an engineering program at Ohio State University. He then obtained a green card when he married a U.S. citizen. He recently pleaded guilty to terror financing charges and conspiring to kill the judge presiding over his trial.
Mohammad’s case illustrates the problems associated with the student visa program. Individuals wishing to study in the U.S. are subject to minimal vetting when they apply for visas. Once in the United States, they undergo virtually no supervision by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In fact, ICE delegates this responsibility to schools enrolling international students and simply monitors student records submitted online.
This is problematic because many foreign students simply enter the U.S., fail to show up for school, and remain here unlawfully. ICE rarely conducts spot checks at schools and almost never goes looking for students who have violated their status. So, non-compliant F-1’s can simply stay in the U.S. for years, with little fear of detection. It is no wonder the F-1 visa has proven a popular option for terrorists seeking to access the United States.
In addition, there are very few restrictions on what international students are allowed to study in the United States. Some of the hard science, engineering, and vocational training programs that are popular with international students also happen to provide the skills required to build weapons of mass destruction. As a result, the U.S. sometimes provides those who would harm it with the training required to mount an attack. Hani Hasan Hanjour is a case in point, he learned to pilot a commercial airliner at a flight school in the United States.
U.S. institutions of higher learning have a legitimate interest in attracting international students. Educational exchange promotes the free flow of ideas, as well as business and trade. But the security of the American public should trump those interests. Too often public safety has been sacrificed to create economic advantages for schools and colleges. If President Trump truly wants to keep American safe, he should direct the Department of State to review and revise its student visa security procedures, and order ICE to begin regular audits of F-1 program compliance. Otherwise, the U.S. may get an unwelcome schooling at the hands of well-educated terrorists.
12 Comments
will someone please explain why REFUGEES FROM TERRORIST COUNTRIES ARE BEING HIRED AS POLICE ???? Case of Justine Damon killed by Officer Noor of Minnesota PD !!! Justine was from Australia was gunned down in cold blood by a SOMALI COP !!!! This is a International incident .Prime Minister from Australia demanding Answers Now ,AND SO SHOULD WE !!!
peter whoever u are don’t u have something better to do then harass citizens with LEGITIMATE COMPLAINTS !!!!! u are on the payroll of the DEEP STATE aren’t U !!!
Pingback: Must Know Headlines – ExposeTheMedia.com
5
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/sep/9/20-pct-illegals-caught-border-have-criminal-record/
Agents say just 40 percent of U.S.-Mexico border under control
20 percent of illegals caught at border have criminal records
“Less than half of the U.S.-Mexico border is under “operational control,” and one out of every five illegal immigrants caught there has a criminal record, the chief of Border Patrol agents’ labor union told Congress Wednesday when detailing violence that increasingly spills over the international boundary.”
https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/9-9-2015-Full-Committee-Hearing-on-US-Personnel-Safety-in-Mexico-Judd-NBPC-Testimony.pdf
“I want to be very clear on this especially given the recent incendiary comments about who is crossing the border and the assertions that the border is safer than it has ever been. In 2014 ICE deported 177,000 convicted criminals. Of this number, 91,000 were arrested by the Border Patrol trying to illegally re-enter this country. To put this figure in
perspective, in 2014 the Border Patrol apprehended and arrested just under 500,000 illegal immigrants–meaning that one in every five arrests last year by the Border Patrol
was a criminal alien.”
http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/675522.pdf
“We had previously testified in February 2011 that at the time this goal and measure was discontinued at the end of fiscal year 2010, Border Patrol reported achieving varying levels of operational control of 873 (44 percent) of the nearly 2,000 southwest border miles.
Border Patrol officials attributed the uneven progress across sectors to multiple factors, including terrain,transportation infrastructure on both sides of the border, and a need to prioritize resource deployment to sectors deemed to have greater risk of illegal activity.”
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/aug/23/ben-carson/ben-carson-most-border-not-under-our-control/
“A 2011 Government Accountability Office report said U.S. Customs and Border Protection considered 873 miles of the almost 2,000-mile U.S. border with Mexico under “operational control” in fiscal year 2010.Those are areas they classified “as those in which it has the ability to detect, respond, and interdict illegal activity at the border or after entry into the United States.”
“Operational control was broken down into two definitions: “Controlled” areas had enough agents to either deter or detect and apprehend illegal entries immediately at the border. We must note this still doesn’t mean a 100 percent apprehension rate, but controlled status accounted for 129 miles, or about 15 percent of those 873 miles
under operational control. The other 85 percent were considered “managed” areas, where agents could still identify and apprehend most entries from as far as 100 miles away.
The other 1,120 miles of border — the 56 percent of the total border to which Carson is likely referring — fell under two other definitions. The report said nearly two-thirds was considered “monitored,” meaning illegal entries were likely to be detected, but resources or accessibility could make responses difficult. The other third was labeled “low-level monitored,” defined as regions where detection and interdiction were constrained by few resources or poor infrastructure.
“Border Patrol reported that these two levels of control were not acceptable for border security,” the GAO report said.
http://www.usnews.com/news/washington-whispers/articles/2011/02/16/border-patrol-controls-just-44-percent-of-south
“While they’ve made strides in arresting illegals and building a fence along the U.S.-Mexico line, the Border Patrol only has “operational control” of 44 percent of the southern border, and of that only 15 percent is air tight, according to new General Accountability Office report.
The GAO said that the Mexican border with Texas has the most holes, especially between Fort Hancock and Brownsville, where 70 percent to 90 percent of the state line is at the two lowest levels of protection, “monitored” and “low-level monitored.” The GAO said that efforts to detector stop illegal immigrants from crossing there were poor. “Border Patrol reported that these two levels of control were not acceptable for border security,” said the GAO.”
Paranoia …. Everything is a threat….
Matt I have seen those F-1 visa students and for them to come to the US…basically practically IMPOSSIBLE unless they are the best smartest, financially above American average and can prove they will go back to their countries..and the ones that stayed became Americans…scientist professors…..just like you ancestors….
you said
“Mohammad’s case illustrates the problems associated with the student visa program.”
not at all accurate,,,,the visa has been proven beneficial for us…..what has changed is the scrutiny so that we do not get terrorists and the bad people which is hard to tell…..even our own get twisted…..
It is more like:
“Our F1 visa student screening needs to be stepped up!!!”
Researching to write such a complex topic is tough…….
The F-1 program has proven to be beneficial to Islamic terrorists and spies, and it is a major hole in our security system. It is time to stop taking students from Muslim countries where jihad and sharia law are popular, which is most Muslim countries. Also, it makes no sense to take in Chinese students as China uses this program to send spies to the USA. Having ICE review this program is necessary, as most schools do not report foreign students who stopped attending classes.
what you are talking about is exactly what I said……scrutiny…I think you speak a different language……
Paranoia …. Everything us a threat….
Guess I must have imagined the 9/11 Islamic terror attacks and the many other attempted and thwarted Islamic terror attacks that have occurred in the USA since then. This program is a big hole in America’s security system and must be reformed.
Shane stop your paranoia…..
1