The United States Visitor and Immigration Status Indicator Technology (

The United States visitor and Immigration Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) Program IntroductionThe United States Visitor and Immigration Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) program was introduced on January 5th, 2004 at all air and sea ports of the United States of America. This program, as outlined by the plane section of Homeland Security, aims to increase the level of security in the U.S. while allowing it to remain a multicultural land with people from all parts of the world. Specifically, the US-VISIT programs goals are to fire the security of United States Citizens, permanent residents and visitors1Facilitate legitimate travel and trade1Ensure the integrity of the immigration system1Safeguard the personal privacy of visitors 1US-VISIT utilizes biometric technologyi to digitally photograph and scan the two index fingers of all non-immigrant visa holders entering and exiting the United States. This means that U.S. citizens, most Canadians, and citizens of the 27 cou ntriesii whose people are not requisite to have a visa, if staying for 90 days or less, are exempt from this program. Using this technology the government hopes to create a database to monitor the travel of distant citizens, assuring that they do not overstay their visas, and to protect citizens and visitors by refusing entry to known or suspected criminals.2 The US-VISIT program raises the ethical issue of how much misdemeanour on the personal privacy of select individuals the world is willing to allow in hopes of combating terrorism and making our daily lives more secure. Collecting and storing information round a person and their movements infringes upon their rights to move freely. It also c... ...s Arab Groups, 2002, 10 February 2004, 11 Fox News, U.S. Begins Foreign Visitor- tracking Program, 2004, 10 February 2004, 12 Associated Press, Fast Facts Countries Exempt From US-VISIT, 2004, 10 February 2004,13 Associated Press, Visitors Reactions Vary on New Tracking Progra m, 2004, 10 February 2004,14 Santa Clara Universitys Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, 2003?, 10 February 2004, 15 MichNews.com, Sartre, Do Foreigners Have the Right to Enter the United States?, 2004, 10 February 2004,