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After Boston Bombing, Rand Paul Suggests Suspending Student Visas and Accepting Fewer Refugees

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Upon learning that Boston Marathon bombing
suspects Tamerlan and Dhokar Tsarnaev were born in
the Chechen Republic of Russia, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) wrote a
letter to Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV.) arguing that
comprehensive immigration reform “should not proceed until we
understand the specific failures of our immigration
system.” 

“Why did the current system allow two individuals to immigrate
to the United States from the Chechen Republic in Russia,” writes
Paul, “an area known as a hotbed of Islamic extremism, who then
committed acts of terrorism? Were there any safeguards? Could this
have been prevented? Does the immigration reform before us address
this?”

“Media reports indicate that both the bombing suspects were
legal permanent residents and one is reported to be a naturalized
citizen,” Paul adds. “We need to make sure that we have safeguards
against this type of situation happening again.”

Paul also suggests suspending student visas, writing, “Do we
need to take a hard look at student visas? Should we suspend
student visas, or at least those from high-risk areas, pending an
investigation into the national security implications of this
program?”

You can read the full letter below:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

United States Senate

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Majority Leader Reid,

As our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to those affected
by the tragedy in Boston, I urge you to incorporate the following
national security concerns into the comprehensive immigration
reform debate. Before Congress moves forward, some important
national security questions must be addressed.

I believe that any real comprehensive immigration reform must
implement strong national security protections. The facts emerging
in the Boston Marathon bombing have exposed a weakness in our
current system. If we don’t use this debate as an opportunity to
fix flaws in our current system, flaws made even more evident last
week, then we will not be doing our jobs.

We should not proceed until we understand the specific failures
of our immigration system. Why did the current system allow two
individuals to immigrate to the United States from the Chechen
Republic in Russia, an area known as a hotbed of Islamic extremism,
who then committed acts of terrorism? Were there any safeguards?
Could this have been prevented? Does the immigration reform before
us address this? 

There should be hearings in the Senate Homeland Security and
Government Affairs Committee that study the national security
aspects of this situation, making sure that our current immigration
system gives individuals from high-risk areas of the world
heightened scrutiny. 

In the wake of 9/11, there was a comprehensive reform of our
intelligence gathering system, yet our improved intelligence
gathering system did not adequately detect these extremists. We
need to understand possible intelligence failures and craft
solutions.

Media reports indicate that the deceased bombing suspect was
interviewed by the FBI two years ago at the request of a foreign
government. We need to know the details of this interview. We need
to know if this interview might have given investigators any reason
to conclude that this individual might be dangerous or at least
worthy of further inquiry. If so, was there an intelligence
failure? At the very least, it should be examined.

Media reports indicate that both the bombing suspects were legal
permanent residents and one is reported to be a naturalized
citizen.  We need to make sure that we have safeguards against
this type of situation happening again.

In 2002, Congress set up the National Security Registration
System (NSEERS), yet it was suspended in 2011 by Secretary of
Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.  That system had problems,
yet was still based on the practical idea that extra screening is
necessary from nations that have a higher population of extremists.
Congress might need a similar system updated for current
circumstances to be rolled into comprehensive immigration
reform.

I would like the US-VISIT/OBIM program studied to see if it
actually works, or at least study the process by which we collect
and analyze biometric data on immigrants.

Our refugee programs have proven to be a problem. On, January
29, 2013, two Iraqi citizens living in Bowling Green, in my home
state of Kentucky, were sentenced to long prison terms for
participating in terrorism and providing material support to
terrorists while living in the United States. How did this happen?
Does the current immigration reform address how this might have
happened? We may need more scrutiny when accepting refugees from
high-risk nations. 

I want to make sure that any new bill addresses the visa entry
and exit programs, in addition to refugee programs that have proven
problematic in Bowling Green and possibly, if media reports are
correct, in Boston.

Finally, do we need to take a hard look at student visas? Should
we suspend student visas, or at least those from high-risk areas,
pending an investigation into the national security implications of
this program?

I respectfully request that the Senate consider the following
two conditions as part of the comprehensive immigration reform
debate: One, the Senate needs a thorough examination of the facts
in Massachusetts to see if legislation is necessary to prevent a
similar situation in the future. Two, national security protections
must be rolled into comprehensive immigration reform to make sure
the federal government does everything it can to prevent immigrants
with malicious intent from using our immigration system to gain
entry into the United States in order to commit future acts of
terror.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Rand Paul, M.D.


Source:


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