AP: U.S. to Fingerprint More Foreigners ( Poodle will be fingerprinted

[Florida_Geek]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Fingerprinting-Allies.html

April 2, 2004
AP: U.S. to Fingerprint More Foreigners
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 12:24 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A program requiring foreigners to be fingerprinted and photographed before entering the country is being expanded to include millions of travelers from some of America's closest allies, The Associated Press learned Friday.

The move affects citizens in 27 countries -- including Britain, Japan and Australia -- who had been allowed to travel within the United States without a visa for up to 90 days.

.. more at AP

[Az_lefty]

1. Repeat after me...

* is a uniter, not a divider.

[Dover]

2. I think our government needs to fingerprint and do mug shots of the Bushco

Crime Family. And our foreign allies should follow SUIT...as in lawsuit.

[drfemoe]

3. Who the HELL are they looking for ??

Is this part of go to any lengths to pretend they were not aware that hijackers flying planes into buildings was a distinct possibility in 2001?

Or is it to classify everyone on the planet as "terror suspect" until they can supposedly prove otherwise?

[dutchdemocrat]

4. I won't come

Never.

I had a cheaper ticket via Newark to get to Sao Paulo.

I will pay the extra money and avoid America.

Sad isn't it?

The Euros I would have spent are handy these days.

Lula is talking Euro these days anyway.

Sad.

[saigon68]

5. POODLE will NOT be FingerPrinted / Diplomatic Passport=NO fingerprint

The ruling class will be immune from this type of nuisance

[Lisa]

10. good point -- they didn't screen Bush at the Canadian border re: DUI

He's supposed to have a letter by a character reference, testifying that he's sober and is gainfully employed. My guess is that he got the "head of state" exemption.

Pity.

[saigon68]

11. But apparently Mexicans will not have to undergo this outrage

I guess the rich guys in Cali and Texas need their "Mexican Gardeners" to show up for work on time. I wonder if they pay these people "cash" ????

Or even check to see if they have the proper permits etc.

[twilight]

14. Blair ..

Probably the poodle doesn't have any fingerprints to be found. He is an evil creation. You cannot fingerprint evil plain and simple.

:evilgrin:

:dem: :kick:

[BattyDem]

6. Well that's just great!

It's not enough that we have the whole Arab world hating us, now we have to piss off our allies as well! :mad:

George W. Bush* - uniting the world ... against us!

[Kellanved]

7. something is strange about this

Check this article, a week old, wich says almost the excact opposite:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/national/8276297.htm

BTW: the High-Tech Passport claim is BS. There was a deadline already, one met by the EU nations (which is why I now have an ugly, empty High-Tech Passport). The last deadline was pushed back by the US side. "Organisational reasons" :shrug:

[w4rma]

8. Bush Backs off Fingerprinting Plan for *Mexican* Visitors - March 6, 2004

By Scott Lindlaw Associated Press Writer
Published: Mar 6, 2004

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - President Bush on Saturday backed off a plan to require frequent Mexico-U.S. travelers to be fingerprinted and photographed before crossing the border, a reversal welcomed by Mexican President Vicente Fox.

"We welcome the news that was confirmed today with regard to visitors to the U.S. from Mexico," Fox said at a news conference with Bush at the American president's ranch. "They will not have to be photographed or fingerprinted."

Fox alluded to another agreement to speed migration - a deal to issue special visas through the North American Free Trade Agreement to allow professionals to move across the border "to come and work in either country and contribute to both."

Bush said little about either development at the joint news conference. "The president just discussed the issue of border crossing cards, and he discussed the professional visas, and so we're making progress," Bush said. "I will work to ensure a system of safe and orderly migration."
…
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA5Z062IRD.html
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=404134

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. US can't make the Oct 26 date itself

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/living/travel/8262481.htm?1c

Oct. 26 is the target date for rolling out biometric passports, but it probably will be mid-2005 before they are routinely issued, said Stuart Patt, spokesman for the State Department's consular affairs bureau.

[leftchick]

12. Canadians exempt from new U.S. security rules

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040403/WORLDREPORT03-1/TPInternational/Americas

<snip>
Washington -- Canadian citizens are among the few people in the world exempt from new security screenings of visitors to the United States. U.S. officials said yesterday that, starting Sept. 30, citizens from some 27 countries that do not require visas, including Britain, Japan and Australia, will be fingerprinted and photographed when they enter the country.

The step is being taken because those countries will not meet an October deadline set by Washington to have counterfeit-proof biometric passports that include identification features.

Canadians, diplomats and Mexicans will be exempt from the process if they have precleared border-crossing cards. CP

[The White Rose]

13. Well, they have to leave the door ajar for some terrorists to get through.

Anyone know how this affects British residents of the U.S.?