Additional security measures will be imposed for millions of travelers from countries that do not require U.S. visas due to the rising threat of Islamic militants with Western passports.
AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File
The Department of Homeland Security will introduce on Monday heightened screening measures for travelers from Europe, Australia and other countries exempt from U.S. visas due to growing number of Islamist militants in Syria with Western passports, The Washington Post reported.
According to the new rule, travelers who do not need visas to enter the U.S. will need to provide detailed information to authorities before boarding a flight to the country. Usually such travelers undergo lighter security.
From The Washington Post:
For the first time, U.S. officials said, such travelers will be required to disclose whether they hold passports from multiple countries, or have previously used alternate names or aliases — data that can enable more accurate screening against U.S. terrorism watch lists.
More than 15,000 foreign militants have traveled to Syria, mostly from the Middle East or North Africa, which require a visa to enter the U.S. However, more than 2,000 fighters are from Australia and European countries.
"Many of the leading visa-waiver countries are seeing their citizens going to Syria to join [the Islamic State] or al-Qaeda affiliates in that country and potentially returning home with training and new skills," a senior Department of Homeland Security official told The Washington Post. "We want to ensure that we know exactly who is coming and have the most information possible to make good decisions."
The screening process, known as the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, will also collect information about travelers' employment and addresses along with their aliases and passports.
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