On Mon, 05 Apr 2004 08:22:44 GMT, the renowned Gunner
wrote:

On Mon, 05 Apr 2004 17:24:15 +1200, John wrote:

Harry Conover wrote:

John wrote in message ...
"WASHINGTON -- In a surprise move, the United States
will begin fingerprinting and photographing millions
of visitors from allied European and Pacific nations
who now are exempt from such procedures, Homeland
Security Department officials said Friday........

Since January, travelers from most foreign countries
have had their digital photographs and fingerprints
checked against U.S. security data bases. But 27
so-called ?visa waiver? countries -- whose citizens do
not have to obtain advance permission for most short
visits to the United States -- have been exempted.
That will no longer be the case after Sept. 30,
Homeland Security Under Secretary Asa Hutchinson
said. Hutchinson, who oversees border and transportation
protection, said the decision to end the exemption would
close what many people in the government consider to be
a loophole in screening, with minimum inconvenience for
arriving visitors........"

It's about time! Many European countries have been doing this for years.

Harry C.

Care to name any?
John

There are not any. This is the cutting edge of freedom and privacy
restriction.

When was the last time you had to leave your passport with the front
desk at any motel/hotel in the US?

Gunner

Only place I've ever had to do that is in the totalitarian/communist
countries of Eastern Europe. Not even in China. Not a very high
standard, I must say. And NEVER any &*$#$*&$ fingerprints, ANYWHWERE,
even in the most corrupt, totalitarian hellhole like Romania.

It won't, *CAN'T*, be restricted just to foreigners either, because
they won't be able to be absolutely sure that someone carrying a US
passport is not a ringer without biometrics on EVERYBODY who travels.

What an ugly world that is being created. Taking away people's rights
and privacy for the promise of security will be just about exactly as
effective as gun control has been.

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
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