The Department of Homeland Security lacks a strategic
plan outlining the mission, activities, program goals,
and intended results of its visa security program,
the Government Accountability Office has said in a
new report.
It also said the department has not maintained
comprehensive data on the results of the program,
making it difficult to assess its impact.
Responsible for reviewing visa applications and
operating out of Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia,
it is designed to prevent the exploitation of the visa
process, and provides training to consular officers
regarding terrorist threats and fraud.
DHS plans to expand operations there as well as add
three additional sites.
Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs Committee, Susan Collins, R-Maine, echoed GAO
in calling for guidance and more stringent oversight
of the program.
Collins said the program “needs fixing,” adding that
the committee looked forward to working with DHS to
make changes including the implementation of a
strategic plan and performance measurements.
The GAO report recommended that Congress consider
changing the law requiring visa security officers to
review every application, because it “limits the VSOs’
ability to provide additional training and other
services to consular officers, such as assisting with
interviews.”
The report also cited a shortage of foreign language
expertise, problems running the program smoothly
because of temporary officer appointments, as well as
physical security concerns.
