Stolen Passports Provide an Open Door to Terrorists

Responding to the recent Department of Homeland Security Inspector General report, "A Review of the Use of Stolen Passports from Visa Waiver Countries to Enter the United States," Rep. Christopher Cox (R-CA) called the lack of coordination between federal agencies "scandalous." The report concluded that "aliens applying for admission to the United States using stolen passports have little reason to fear being caught and are usually admitted."

"We have no reason to doubt that the IG's report is true," said Rep. Christopher Cox, chairman of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security. "According to the report, the reason that a terrorist with a stolen passport could so easily enter and remain in the United States is that even biometric data is useless if government agencies are not properly using it and sharing the information," added Chairman Cox.

The IG review traced 136 foreigners who entered the country using stolen passports. Of these, 78 were admitted even though their passports were reported as stolen, and even though they were listed in the government's "lookout" database. That database contained information about aliens who are inadmissible or of interest to a law enforcement agency. Thirty-three of these entries with stolen passports occurred after September 11, 2001.

The report demonstrates the need for better sharing of information about terrorist travel and the use of fraudulent documents in the future between two different parts of the Department of Homeland Security -- Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.