NewsMax.com Wires
Thursday, April 11, 2002

The INS has been under heavy criticism for failing to prevent the entry of the Sept. 11 hijackers into the United States and subsequently approving two of the hijackers' visa requests six months after the attacks.

The legislation would form one agency to provide immigration services and another to start enforcing immigration law.

It was determined after the Sept. 11 attacks that three of the 19 hijackers had overstayed their visas. The approval of the change in visa status earlier this month further infuriated lawmakers on Capitol Hill and the president.

The committee voted 32 to 2 to approve the legislation, sponsored by committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis. Two Democrats refused to approve the bill because, they said, it did not offer much reform.

The administration has said it does not believe new legislation is necessary, but President Bush has expressed support for splitting the agency in two. INS Commissioner James Ziglar has said he will pursue internal reforms.

The bill could receive full House consideration within the next month. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's immigration subcommittee, has said he will introduce an INS reform measure in the Senate later in the session. He has said this bill would attempt to separate the enforcement and record-keeping aspects of the agency.

Copyright 2002 by United Press International.

All rights reserved.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Bush Administration

Homeland/Civil Defense

Immigration/Borders

War on Terrorism

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