Previously it was expected that starting October 26, 2004, only citizens who received new passports with biometric data would have visa-free access to the US. However, experts concluded that by that date the authorities of the 27 countries with which the visa-free entry agreement was concluded would not be able to carry out a full-scale replacement of old passports with new-style documents. This would lead to those wishing to enter the US having to obtain visas. As a result, the burden on American consulates would significantly increase.
In this regard, the American administration in March asked Congress to reconsider the timing of these restrictions. On June 14, 2004, members of the House of Representatives approved postponing the validity of the existing passport regime by one year, and on July 22, 2004, the Senate did the same.
American border guards will be able to
deport immigrants without trial or investigation
Employees of US border patrols working on the borders with Canada and Mexico will have the right to deport illegal immigrants without a court hearing, reports The New York Tims.
Officials of the US Department of Homeland Security stated this. The new powers of border patrol officers are driven by concerns of US intelligence agencies that tighter controls on those entering the country through airports and seaports could push terrorists to attempt to enter the US via land borders. They will come into force as early as August 24, 2004.
Under the new rules, patrol officers no longer need to bring detained illegal immigrants to US courts, where the cases of all immigrants were considered and a verdict on deportation was issued or asylum in the US was granted. According to a ministry representative, these court proceedings sometimes dragged on for a year or more, making the system cumbersome and inefficient.
Now patrol officers have the right, on their own, that is, without a court decision, to deport all illegal immigrants within eight days of their detention. A law adopted in 1996 allowed US authorities to deport certain categories of immigrants without trial. However, it applied only to persons who arrived in the US through airports or seaports.
The new rules extend the law to persons detained within a 160-kilometer zone from the borders with Canada and Mexico, who have been on US territory for less than 14 days. As ministry representatives stated, patrol officers will primarily apply the deportation right to citizens of third countries; it will not be widely applied to Canadians and Mexicans.
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