The Politics and Practicalities of a US EXIT Program

The 9/11 Commission recommended a biometric and comprehensive screening system of foreign visitors, including an exit system.

In the wake of the Christmas Plot and the Times Squares near getaway by Faisal Shahzad already boarded on an international flight leaving the U.S. when arrested, we are once again reminded that border security is an essential element of national security, and EXIT may matter to that rubric. For 14 years, a law requiring a U.S. EXIT program has sat on the books. There have been discussions, policy platforms, even pilots, but to this day, we do not have an EXIT program.

The politics and practicalities of employing EXIT requires robust discussion. It is not, and has not, been easy to implement. EXIT is tied into issues pertaining to US VISIT; the Visa Waiver Program; our national views on identity, biometrics and privacy; government allocation of resources and infrastructure that differ substantially between air and land ports of entry; and what we do with the real time data once the federal government has it. Is EXIT to be designed as a tool simply to curtail overstays and illegal immigration,or is there a greater value to national security?

Janice Kephart brought together some of the biggest thinkers and most important decision-makers with very different views on the issue.

Please RSVP to John Wahala at jaw@cis.org

Agenda

9:00 am Opening Remarks

9:10 am Introduction: Are We Ready for EXIT?

9:45 am Panel I: The Politics and Practicalities of Implementing Exit

Break

10:45 am Panel II: EXIT in the International Community

11: 45 am Lunch Buffet

12:15 pm Panel III: Implementing Exit: What it Means, What it Should Look Like