The Hindu : U.S. tightens passenger ID checks

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 02, 2003

International

International

U.S. tightens passenger ID checks

Washington Jan.1. The year 2003 was set to ring in a new, tougher regimen of passenger identification aimed at rooting out potential terrorists, according to U.S. officials. Beginning January 1, every passenger arriving in or departing from the United States, by plane or boat, will undergo unprecedented identity checks, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (INS), said today.

As part of a programme to ``enhance public safety and national security'' all commercial carriers would be required ``to submit detailed passenger manifests to the agency electronically before an aircraft or vessel arrives in or departs from the United States.''

Passenger information, to be submitted in advance of travel, should include complete name, date of birth, citizenship, sex, passport number and country of issuance, country of residence, the U.S. visa number and date and place of issuance.

Moreover, alien registration numbers and addresses, while in the U.S., would be required where applicable.

``The advance submission requirement will help INS verify the identities of individuals being transported.''

Since the September 11attacks on New York and Washington, carried out primarily by aliens in the U.S. staying illegally, the U.S. authorities have been continually tightening border controls, particularly concerning persons coming from Arab countries.

The new measures have been called abusive by civil liberties groups and representatives of the Muslim community in the U.S.

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U.S. tightens passenger ID checks