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| U.S. to Test Program for Screening Rail Passengers | |
| 2004-03-23 | |
In the wake of this month's train bombings in Madrid, the United States plans to tighten security on trains and mass transit systems by testing a program to screen passengers and their bags and expanding the use of bomb sniffing dogs. "We are adding several new layers of security that we believe will help reduce vulnerabilities to our systems and make commuters and transit riders more secure aboard our nation's trains and subways," Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge told a news conference on Monday. "The bombings in Madrid are a solemn reminder that terrorists continue to expose and exploit our vulnerabilities," he said of the March 11 attacks on four commuter trains that killed more than 200 people and injured about 1,800. Ridge said his agency has already asked subway systems, commuter and freight rail networks and Amtrak to maintain a heightened state of alert. But a central challenge is to balance the ease of U.S. rail travel, where passengers currently are not subjected to any security checks, with the need for practical and affordable countermeasures. Ridge's announcement came one day before senior homeland security and rail officials are scheduled to testify before a Senate committee that is pressing for increased rail security.
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| Posted by:Steve White |
| #6 Speaking of loopholes - excellent point Jarhead! Those children born in the US to non-US citizens, illegal or not, being granted American citizenship is idiotic. The idea that illegals can hide out until they can pop a kid - which is really only the last couple of months or less - and then emerge to have the kid declared an American is insane. If we have any immigration specialists, perhaps they will tell us about the illegal game once you have an "American" in your immediate family. Connected / monied people the world over play this game - legally... sort of. They get into the US on something that allows them at least 3 months - regular visitor visas work for this - and hang out til delivery. The Saudis told me it was best to go by the 6th month, when the mother could still hide the pregnancy easily under her abaya (the black ninja tent the women wear) - and I'm not sure if they even have to hide it, but this is what the guys I knew told me was standard procedure in the game. Then chill til delivery, pop the kid, get the paperwork, and take their "American" home. It can be arranged to be "assigned" to a US work-training program with one of the numerous US / UK companies who suck up to the Saudis - if you're connected. Happened all the time with Aramco and US Oil companies. It amounted to a one year (on avg) paid shopping vacation in the US. Making a kid while you were over was common. There are THOUSANDS of US Passport-carrying children belonging to Aramco Saudis. Of course all of the people who do this can come back any old time they want - accompanying their "American" relative. Wotta joke. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-3-23 10:49:21 PM |
| #5 Mike S., right on. I'd say deport any other riff-raff to boot. We've been way too easy on illegal immigrants of all backgrounds. Get rid of the biggest pos's first then work case by case for the true charity cases. Also, close out the loophole where those born in the U.S. by illegals makes the offspring a citizen. |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2004-3-23 10:16:42 PM |
| #4 Oh, and I forgot, deport Moslems working here illegally. |
| Posted by: Mike Sylwester 2004-3-23 8:38:37 AM |
| #3 The money and effort that is being invested in this futile program would be much better invested in the Immigration and Naturalization Service. It's much easier to keep Moslem terrorists from passing through our country's relatively few points of entry than it is to keep them from entering every train car everywhere in the United States. Let's focus our security dollars on keeping Moslem riffraff out and deporting the Moslem riffraff that's already here. Deport Moslems here on student visas who aren't studying full-time. Deport Moslems on business visas who aren't conducting legal business. Deport Moslems on tourist visas caught sneaking around photographing potential targets. Deport Moslems whose passports are expired. Deport Moslems staying here in fictitious marriages. Deport Moslems seeking political asylum who can't prove any political persecution. Let these deportees go back to their home countries and tell their fellow Moslems: Americans aren't busy futilely screening train passengers, they're busy deporting Moslems because of our futile Moslem terrorism. |
| Posted by: Mike Sylwester 2004-3-23 8:34:08 AM |
| #2 [Off-topic or abusive comments deleted] |
| Posted by: Removed 2004-3-23 8:19:55 AM |
| #1 Looks like I'm going to have to scale back my train watching. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-3-23 12:30:38 AM |