Congress Neesd to Strengthen Foreign Student Visa Security

Floor Speech

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, recent events have highlighted gaps in our student visa laws that can be exploited by terrorists who attempt to enter our country under false pretenses and then disappear as they plot to attack us.

Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security disrupted schemes involving individuals holding student visas despite their violation of the terms. In addition, the recent Times Square bomber reportedly first entered the United States on a student visa in 1998. On top of that, several of the 9/11 hijackers had violated the terms of their student visas.

Foreign students play an important role in our society, but we must ensure that terrorists do not use our student visa process as a back door into our country. The need to improve the system is clear.

I introduced the Student Visa Security Improvement Act in order to improve screening of foreign students before they enter the U.S. and to ensure that they abide by the terms of their visa once they are here. Congress must act now to strengthen student visa security and pass H.R. 5208.

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