Wally Bird

I'm assuming he meant when traveling by air; otherwise a simple drive through Europe would belie the claim.

Sjoerd

And the Republic of Ireland and Mexico.

kebosabi

Existing airports will need a MAJOR design change to accommodate this because no US airport was designed to have exit control immigration areas like they have elsewhere in the world.

Another headache would be placing all international bound flights in a single dedicated "international flights only" terminal. Example would be SAN-LAX-NRT on AA.

Currently, all AA flights whether they be for US or international depart from T4. If exit controls have to be placed, then the AA LAX-NRT will have to be relocated to depart from TBIT.

mahohmei

So the US doesn't have exit control? What do you call it when CBP officers search passengers boarding outbound flights? There was a recent case of a Motorola employee who was caught trying to fly back to China with trade secrets, caught by a CBP outbound search.

kebosabi

"You got unlucky with a random search"

GUWonder

A lot of the gate area searches for flights departing the US are actually not random searches. Some routes are targeted repeatedly, and some flights are targeted based on passenger lists being scrubbed or some individuals being tailed by domestic law enforcement or the intelligence community.

bocastephen

It's extremely easy to "legally" overstay by exiting, even if they come up with these silly exit controls.

If you're here on a visa, book a cheap international flight you know is very lightly sold (so there won't be a pre-departure seat count). Don't check any bags, and make sure you do this well before your visa expires.

Check in, surrender your departure record to the airline agent, and go to the gate to board your flight. Board when the jetway and boarding area is crowded (affectionately known as the 'cattle call'), let them scan or collect your boarding pass, enter the jetway with everyone else, then quietly walk out - if no one sees you, exit the terminal and you're home free. If an airline agent sees you, then just say you've lost your wife/husband/whatever and are looking for them - if boarding is still busy, they'll forget about you in a few moments and then you're free.

The worst case is the airline agent remembers your departing visa status and gets busy with what you're doing - tell them you can't find your spouse and need to deplane to go look for them - and if you can't shake them, ask them to 'deboard' you and give your papers back as you may need to miss the flight...then you can try the trick again on another day.

Once you've done this successfully, the airline has told DHS that you left the country, and as far as DHS is concerned, you're no longer their problem...but you're still in the US illegally, even if they're not looking for you.

mbstone

No, the worst case is when somebody sees you sneaking out of the boarding queue and assumes you've planted a dangerous object on board. Then they will take a count, followed by a muster, followed by a dump of the aircraft and baggage. Your name will be remembered and you will receive negative attention, if not then, next time.

Silver Fox

I have forgotten to hand in my I-94 card on a few occassions. It has not caused me any problems or even been mentioned when I have come back in.

danielonn

In Israel and Europe you go through an exit control before going through security. European Citizens on the Left and Foreigners on the Right. Would be a good system for travelers to present their passports including US Citizens and Foreigners. This is where you would give the bottom half of your US Visa you filled out on the plane. This is better than the airline passing along the Visas to Border Patrol.

bocastephen

No, actually the better system is it's none of the government's damn business where I travel to.

If they want to collect I-9s from people, they can figure that out on their own without infringing on my right to travel freely. The only government that has real right or need to know about me is the one I'm on the way to visit, and my own when I return.

DillMan

This is great. So a mean terrorist comes to the US, overstays his visa, but we nab him on the outbound....right?

So how does this "protect" the helpless American public from the terrorists whilst they are IN the country? Unless they forgot their detonators back at the cave I don't see how this stops anything.

I highly doubt a real terrorist is taking the chance of flying in and out repeatedly. Once they are here, risk factor is at its maximum.

We need a "puke" emoticon for this board.

Wally Bird

Well grasping at straws, if the data is handled correctly, the feds could end up with a list of people who have overstayed their visas.

Which does not of course mean they are terrorists, nor does it give any clue as to where they are now. Just more potential fodder for the no-fly list assuming they haven't gotten a new identity.

In essence: more work for the career bureaucrats and a sop to dim-witted Congresspeople.

bocastephen

I'm pretty sure any *real* terrorist, meaning one with a concise large scale mission to execute, not only got their new identity upon arrival, but has successfully blended into their local community, perhaps raising a family, going to PTA, coaching Little League, etc.

They are here right now living among us - we just don't know when or how they will strike, and frankly there isn't a thing the government can do about it.

Exit controls at the airport are a laughable plan, especially given that someone can drive across the border into Canada or Mexico and bypass these controls, not to mention slip back across the border as easily as a bird.

Wally Bird

If there are "sleepers" in the US, I have no idea what they are waiting for.