Washington, DC (December 15, 2006) – Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15) today released the following statement regarding the decision by U.S. Department of Homeland Security to abandon the exit portion of the U.S. Visit Program.

The Administration’s decision to abandon the U.S. Visit Exit program confirms what Members of Congress along the U.S. Border have been saying for the past 3 years – the sheer volume of people and vehicles crossing our land ports makes the program as conceived by Congress and the Administration impractical  and will not accomplish the end result of securing our borders.  Since the passage of legislation calling for the creation of U.S. Visit, the program has faced many implementation problems and deadlines have consistently been pushed back.

To correct the complex problems along the border requires a comprehensive approach that will address all issues.  The U.S. Visit program concentrated to much on technology and not enough on policy reform.  The issue of securing our borders should be one of our nation’s top priorities, but to address it effectively we must look for comprehensive reform that is geared toward separating those who come to America to do harm and those that come to fuel our businesses through international commerce and tourism.  Only then can we look to technology to help us in facilitating the process.    

Here along the border, the US Visit program often would have impeded the free flow of commerce and concerns about equality were raised when the program called for Canadian visitors to stay in the U.S. for six months and Mexican visitors only 72 hours.  Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Border Caucus rapidly went to work on this issue and the Administration responded by fixing this inequality that would have choked off critical commerce to South Texas communities.  

I do not see this week’s decision by officials at the Department of Homeland as a failure.  I see it as a step in the right direction that will ultimately lead to the creation of an effective border security system that will keep all our citizens safe from harm.  The task ahead is a difficult one, but if we approach it in a comprehensive manner and bring to the table individuals from all sectors I know we will be successful.