[20070123]RS21043_移民：S为犯罪和恐怖主义线人签发的签证.pdf

1 P.L. 103-3222 For background on immigration policy, see CRS Report RS20916, Immigration andNaturalization Fundamentals, by Ruth Wasem.Order Code RS21043Updated January 23, 2007Immigration: S Visas for Criminal and Terrorist InformantsKarma EsterTechnical Information SpecialistKnowledge Services GroupSummaryIn response to the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, Congress passed legislationmaking permanent a provision that allows aliens with critical information on criminalor terrorist organizations to come into the United States to provide information to lawenforcement officials. This legislation (S. 1424) became P.L. 107-45 on October 1,2001. The law amended the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide permanentauthority for the administration of the “S” visa, which was scheduled to expire onSeptember 13, 2001. On November 29, 2001, then-Attorney General John Ashcroftannounced the “Responsible Cooperators Program” to reach out to persons who may beeligible for the S visa. Up to 200 criminal informants and 50 terrorist informants maybe admitted annually. Since FY1995, more than 500 informants and their accompanyingfamily members have entered on S visas. No terrorist informants