Under the Visa Waiver Program, residents of Europe and other U.S. allies can enter the U.S. without a visa. In return, Americans don't need visas to travel to those countries. The program has been in effect since 1986, aimed at encouraging tourism and business travel.
But now it's being eyed as a possible security weakness. There are an estimated 3,000 fighters in Syria from Europe, many of whom received training from jihadi groups. And some members of Congress are worried those foreign fighters may try to slip into the U.S. and carry out attacks here.
Former Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., says it's time for some changes to the program, which allows residents of 38 countries to enter the U.S. without visas.
After last month's terrorist attacks in Paris, she told CNN, "It's my belief, and I've said this publicly many times, that the Visa Waiver Program is the Achilles' heel of America."
Some 20 million people a year enter the U.S. under the program. And while they don't need visas, they do have to submit their names in advance, along with information about their employment, family and passport. Still, Feinstein says the system has weaknesses. "It's difficult to ferret someone out, there are stolen travel documents ... they can pick up a false passport, etc."
Feinstein plans to propose legislation to tighten the waiver program. Republican lawmakers have called for hearings and investigations into the issue.
But the Visa Waiver Program is a valuable counterterrorism tool, says Stewart Baker, a former Homeland Security official in the George W. Bush administration.
He says it could be tightened in some areas, but he urges caution: "It gives us the leverage to say to countries if you don't cooperate on counterterrorism programs, then we can take something very valuable away from you."
Baker says other governments that participate in the program have agreed to make their passports more resistant to counterfeiting, and have shared data with the U.S. about the criminal records of foreign nationals.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson agrees the program is valuable, but told a forum last week he is open to some changes.
"Looking at the security assurances that go along with participating in the Visa Waiver Program is something that I've asked my folks to do," he said. "It's an important program, we should maintain it, but it's something that we should focus on."
The Obama administration has already made some changes in the program, such as requiring more detail about travelers. It says that since 2008, more than 26,000 people have been stopped from entering the country who either had passports that were reported as lost or stolen, or had names matching those on terrorist watch lists.
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Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
There are an estimated 3,000 fighters in Syria who came from Europe. Many of them were trained by jihadist groups, and some members of Congress are worried those foreign fighters might try to slip into the U.S. and carry out attacks here. They point out what they see as a potential vulnerability - the fact that citizens of 38 nations can travel to the United States with ease. Here's NPR's Brian Naylor.
BRIAN NAYLOR, BYLINE: The Visa Waiver Program allows residents of Europe and other U.S. allies to enter the U.S. without a visa. In return, Americans don't need to visas to travel to those countries. The program has been in effect since the mid-1980s, aimed at encouraging tourism and business travel, but former Senate Intelligence Committee chair, Dianne Feinstein, says it's time for some changes. Here's what she told CNN after last month's terrorist attacks in Paris.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
DIANE FEINSTEIN: It's my belief - and I said this publicly many times - that the Visa Waiver Program is the Achilles' heel of America.
NAYLOR: Some 20 million people a year enter the U.S. under the program, and while they don't need visas, they do have to submit their names in advance, along with information about employment, their family and passport. Still, Feinstein says, the system has weaknesses.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
FEINSTEIN: It's difficult to ferret someone out. There are stolen travel documents - large numbers, so they can pick up a false passport, etc.
NAYLOR: Feinstein plans to proposes legislation to tighten the waiver program. Other Republican lawmakers have called for hearings and investigations into the issue. But Stewart Baker, a former Homeland Security official in the Bush administration, urges caution. He says the Visa Waiver Program could be tightened in some areas, but is a valuable counterterrorism tool.
STEWART BAKER: It gives us the leverage to say to countries, if you don't cooperate on counterterrorism programs, then we can take something very valuable away from you.
NAYLOR: Baker says other governments that participate in the program have agreed to make their passports more resistant to counterfeiting and have shared data with the U.S. about the criminal records of foreign nationals. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson agrees the program is valuable, but is open to some changes.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
JEH JOHNSON: Looking at the security assurances that go with participating in the Visa Waiver Program is something that I've asked my folks to do. It's an important program. We should maintain it, but it's something that we should focus on.
NAYLOR: The Obama administration has already made some changes in the program, such as requiring more detail about travelers. It says that since 2008, more than 26,000 people have been stopped from entering the country who either had passports that were reported as lost or stolen, or whose names matched those on terrorist watch lists. Brian Naylor, NPR News, Washington.
GREENE: Thanks for joining us on this morning after Super Bowl Sunday. You're listening to MORNING EDITION on your public radio station, and you can also follow this program on social media. Check out the MORNING EDITION Facebook page, and we are also on Twitter. You can find us @NPRMontagne, @NPRInskeep, @NPRGreene, and the program is @MorningEdition. This is NPR. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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