US embassy cable - 04MONTREAL1484

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MONTREAL 001484 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR CA/VO/I JOHN COOK, WHA/CAN AND WHA/PA 
 
DHS FOR US-VISIT ROBERT MOCNY 
 
OTTAWA FOR CONS, PD AND DHS/ICE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS, ELTN, ECON, PBTS, CA 
SUBJECT:  US-VISIT STAKEHOLDERS/MEDIA BRIEFING IN MONTREAL 
 
1. Summary.  Department of Homeland Security (DHS) US-VISIT 
Deputy Director Robert Mocny provided two US-VISIT briefings 
on November 5 to stakeholders (shippers, customs brokers, 
Canadian immigration officers) and media, respectively.  All 
attendees were provided a handout: "Fact Sheet: U.S. Land 
Borders."  The briefings went very well, and most attendees 
appeared relieved to have it reiterated that Canadian 
citizens who do not need visas are not yet subject to the 
program.  Post is considering the possibility of holding a 
followup US-VISIT digital videoconference (DVC) with 
stakeholders not included in the November 5 briefings. 
(Notetakers were ConSec Officers Stephen Ashby and Maya 
Harris.)   End summary. 
 
2.  Stakeholders Briefing.  Mr. Mocny described the 
methodology and implementation schedule for the US-VISIT 
program.  He cited four key DHS goals for US-VISIT: 
 
- To enhance security of U.S. citizens and visitors 
- To facilitate legitimate trade and travel 
- To ensure integrity of U.S. immigration system 
- To protect privacy of visitors 
 
Mr. Mocny also detailed to stakeholders the Congressional 
mandates driving the US-VISIT implementation and the methods 
for redressing any errors that visitors may find in US-VISIT 
records pertaining to them. 
 
3. Stakeholders' Briefing: Questions and Answers. 
 
a. What provisions are being made for exit recording and 
control? 
 
Answer: None will be immediately put into place, but the 
plan is to test radio frequency (RF) checking of "exit 
receipts" at 7 trial ports of entry (POE) in June-July 2005. 
Future plans include biometric verification of exiting 
visitors. 
 
b. What about passports that get stolen before biometrics 
are established at a POE for an individual? 
 
Answer: If the perpetrator used the stolen travel document, 
he/she would be biometrically recorded. Subsequently, when 
the legitimate traveler is screened, the traveler would be 
required to prove identity while in the secondary interview 
and the bad guy would be added to the impostor watch-list. 
 
c.  What prevents terrorists from just using Canadian IDs to 
avoid US-VISIT? 
 
Answer: We rely on Canadian officials to safeguard against 
terrorists and other bad guys getting legitimate 
identification (ID).  Inspectors also guard against their 
entry. 
 
d.  Will US-VISIT profile any race or ethnicity? 
 
Answer: No. Everyone, except U.S. and Canadian citizens who 
do not need visas, must be screened. 
 
e. So, Visa Waiver Program folks will undergo US-VISIT, even 
on charters? 
 
Answer: Yes. 
 
f.  Will US-VISIT increase information sharing between U.S. 
and Canadian security and law enforcement? 
 
Answer: Not formally, but all the current information- 
sharing arrangements still apply. 
 
4. Media Briefing.  Media representation included most major 
organizations, such as CBC, The Gazette, TQS, Le Devoir and 
Canadian Press.  US-VISIT Deputy Director Robert Mocny 
provided an overview of the basic elements of the US-VISIT 
Program, outlined the DHS goals in US-VISIT implementation 
and summarized the program's applicability for prospective 
visitors. 
 
5. Media Briefing: Questions and Answers. 
 
a.  Why were airports the first to implement US-VISIT? 
(Note. The reporter who posed the question stated that if 
she were a terrorist or anyone else attempting to escape the 
notice of border officials then she would "definitely 
attempt to enter the U.S. via land."  End note.) 
 
Answer: Mocny stated that DHS adhered to deadlines decided 
by the U.S. Congress after the law making body appropriated 
$100 million for the program.  Mocny listed the deadlines, 
beginning with the benchmark December 31, 2003, date to 
launch US-VISIT at all Canadian airport POEs, then the 17 
busiest land POEs by December 31, 2004, followed by all POEs 
by December 31, 2005. 
 
b. How will US-VISIT affect landed immigrants and Canadian 
citizens? 
 
Answer:  Mocny emphasized that US-VISIT will have minimal 
impact on landed immigrants (LI), as they presently already 
report to border officials for secondary interview. 
According to Mocny, the only changes LIs will face are the 
biometric fingerprint scan and facial imaging.  He added 
that pilot programs at the Sarnia and Port Huron POEs have 
shown there is no "real" added inconvenience to LIs. 
Further, he stated LIs may even experience fewer delays at 
POEs because US-VISIT eliminates the need for prospective 
U.S. visitors to complete Form I-94. Mocny underscored that 
the pilot programs at Sarnia and Port Huron, and the 
implementation of US-VISIT at Canadian airports, have been 
successful and important to creating a secure medium to 
collect biographic data on potential U.S. visitors (one that 
also guards against identity theft). 
 
c.  How will US-VISIT affect Canadians with dual 
citizenship? 
 
Answer: Dual nationals who declare either their Canadian or 
American citizenship while presenting the appropriate 
corroborating identification at POEs will not be affected by 
US-VISIT.  However, visitors to the U.S. who claim 
citizenship to a third country upon arrival at the POE will 
be subject to US-VISIT and may be expected to take part in a 
secondary interview. 
 
d.  Does DHS have plans to begin fingerprinting and 
photographing Canadian citizens? 
 
Answer:  Mocny stated that DHS understands that in addition 
to securing the border, the cross border economy still has 
to be maintained and that DHS recognizes that most people 
(at least 80%) who cross the US-Canadian border do not have 
malicious intentions.  However, Mocny further stated DHS 
does not believe the border is secure; that the majority of 
people stopped through US-VISIT were taken into secondary 
inspection because of possible intent to overstay their 
visit in the U.S. and that many people with criminal 
convictions have been apprehended through the program.  He 
noted that while presently the only Canadians who must 
participate in US-VISIT are those that require visas (i.e. 
fianc(e)s of American citizens, immigrants, treaty-trade 
investors), the 9/11 Commission made specific 
recommendations on the possible need to include Canadians in 
security measures. 
 
e.  Is it true all Canadians will require a passport to 
enter the U.S. as of December 31?   If not, have discussions 
on the creation of a continental card resumed? 
 
Answer: Mocny stated that DHS has no current plan to require 
Canadians to bear passports at U.S. borders, but that this 
may be subject to change based upon the will of the U.S. 
Congress.  Regarding a continental-wide identification, 
Mocny stated that while that remains an option for the 
future, speculation would not be useful. 
 
f. Will US-VISIT target minorities? 
 
Answer: Mocny stated that the only foreign nationals not 
subject to US-VISIT at POEs are Canadians, a facet of the 
program that will ensure that everyone is treated equally. 
He went on to state while Canadians are exempt from US-VISIT 
at present, only time will tell whether Canadians will 
remain exempt from program participation. 
 
g.  What happens to the biographic data that is collected 
from US-VISIT? 
 
Answer:  Mocny replied that the data collected would be 
distributed within DHS as needed.  He added that an 
inquiring foreign national would have access to the list of 
U.S. governmental entities that has access to their 
information.  Mocny stated there is no plan to share the 
information collected from US-VISIT with Canadian officials 
and that the collection of biographic data through US-VISIT 
has allowed DHS to track the length of visits of foreign 
nationals to the U.S. 
 
h.  Will the implementation of US-VISIT have any impact on 
the American traveler? 
 
Answer: Mocny stated that US-VISIT will have no effect on 
the average American traveler. 
 
i.  Post 9/11--should Canadians get accustomed to the idea 
that they will eventually be subject to programs similar to 
US-VISIT? 
 
Answer: Mocny reaffirmed that the only change in the 
procedural status quo was the launch of US-VISIT at the 17 
busiest land POEs, expected to be fully operational by the 
December 31, 2004, deadline.  He added that while U.S. 
policy may change in the future, he could not speculate on 
those potential changes. 
 
6.  Post is considering the possibility of conducting a 
followup US-VISIT DVC, as we had insufficient lead time to 
notify other stakeholders (ie., representatives from the 
Visa Waiver Program countries' Consulates General in our 
district, other travel and trade-related contacts) who may 
have benefited from the November 5 briefing. 
ALLEN