Trump calls for visa overstay crackdown

WASHINGTON— President Donald Trump on Monday directed administration officials to find a way to penalize countries whose citizens remain in the United States after their visitor visas expire. In a memo to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, the president asked for recommendations for dealing with countries that have overstay rates of 10 percent or more.

The memo floats several possibilities, including shortening the duration of visas, an admission bonds plan in which people pay a fee upon entering the United States that would be reimbursed when they leave, or barring visitors from offending countries entirely. The memo said the administration will work with foreign governments to address conditions contributing to high overstay rates. The departments have 120 days to respond with their recommendations.

“We have laws that need to be followed to keep Americans safe and to protect the integrity of a system where, right now, there are millions of people who are waiting in line to come to America to seek the American Dream,” Trump said in a statement.

Countries with overstay rates of 10 percent or more in the past have included Chad, Eritrea, Liberia, and Nigeria. More than 600,000 foreigners overstayed their visas in 2017, according to the Department of Homeland Security.