[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 13 (Monday, March 31, 2003)]
[Pages 377-378]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Congressional Leaders Transmitting a Report Required by the 
Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002

March 25, 2003

Dear __________ :

    Enclosed is the report to the Congress, prepared by my 
Administration, identifying Federal law enforcement and intelligence 
community information identified as necessary by the Department of State 
(DOS) to screen visa applicants and the Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS) to screen applicants for admission to the United States, and to 
identify those aliens inadmissible or deportable under the Immigration 
and Nationality Act. I am forwarding this report to fulfill the 
requirement under section 201(b) of the Enhanced Border Security and 
Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-173).
    The Federal Government is working to improve data-sharing 
capabilities between agencies. To support this effort, the Department of 
Homeland Security will create an inventory of essential information 
needed to secure our Nation; determine horizontal and vertical 
integration requirements; define target architecture for information 
integration; and, determine the resources necessary to integrate 
information. In the short term, DHS will work to virtually consolidate 
or link watch lists from multiple agencies and create a homeland 
security portal for users at all levels of government. Additionally, 
consular officers and immigration inspectors have access to more 
complete intelligence and criminal history information through the 
Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS) and the Consular Lookout and 
Support System (CLASS). Since September 11, more than seven million 
names of persons with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) records were 
added to CLASS so that now it contains approximately 13 million name 
records from DOS, DHS, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and 
intelligence resources. The U.S. Customs Service has also provided 
20,000 name records of serious violators to CLASS. The CLASS now has 
over 78,000 records of suspected terrorists, up 40 percent in the past 
year. Since September 11, 2001, approximately 20,000 new terrorist 
lookouts have been entered into the DOS's TIPOFF system.
    Furthermore, an Entry-Exit System (EES) project team is building an 
integrated, automated information EES to enable existing/ emerging entry 
exit processes. This core EES will integrate electronic arrival and 
departure manifests, electronic visa data, Federal agency lookouts, 
traveler information, Student and Exchange Visitor Information System 
(SEVIS) data, Immigration Benefit information, overstay information as 
well as perform risk assessment analysis and lookout queries, and 
incorporate biometric technology.

[[Page 378]]

    Additionally, the newly established Terrorist Threat Integration 
Center (TTIC) will analyze terrorist-related information collected 
domestically and abroad in order to form the most comprehensive picture 
of the terrorist threats we face. The TTIC will also play a lead role in 
overseeing a national counter-terrorism tasking and requirements system 
and in maintaining an up-to-date database of known and suspected 
terrorists that will be accessible to appropriate officials at all 
levels of government. The TTIC represents an important milestone in our 
effort to improve collaboration between and among the intelligence and 
law enforcement communities.
    These efforts and others are improving available information and 
systems while planning for the development of compatible information 
systems. This will allow Federal, State, and local entities to share 
information nationwide that will ultimately contribute to securing our 
borders and protecting our Nation.
     Sincerely,
                                                George W. Bush

Note: Identical letters were sent to Richard G. Lugar, chairman, Senate 
Committee on Foreign Relations; Orrin G. Hatch, chairman, Senate 
Committee on the Judiciary; Pat Roberts, Chairman, Senate Committee on 
Intelligence; Henry J. Hyde, chairman, House Committee on International 
Relations; F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., chairman, House Committee on the 
Judiciary; and Porter J. Goss, chairman, House Committee on 
Intelligence. This letter was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on March 26.