After Sept. 11, the U.S. government raised security standards on existing programs monitoring international students' data, including fingerprints of those from countries designated by the government as posing terrorist threats.
Some of the 5,000 international students and scholars at UW-Madison attended an informational session on the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System. The program allows the Immigration and Naturalization Service, which is currently being restructured with part of the department moving under Homeland Security, to directly access international students' addresses, educational plans and financial information from U.S. schools, according to Jason Jonely, an advisor at UW-Madison International Student Services.
\The data is very similar to that collected for other students,"" Jonely told those attending the workshop on Feb. 4.
He explained that the university stores similar data for U.S. citizens on campus while data on international students is also sent to the INS.
The updated system requires students to report changes much sooner, Jonely said.
""It is critical for you to always let us know of a change to avoid losing your visa status,"" he said.
SEVIS is expected to quicken information flow between universities and the INS. According to Judy Brodd, Interim Director at ISS, it used to take 10 to 12 months for the INS to inform the university that an international student arrived in the country. However, now it should take 10 days, she said.
Junko Matsuba, a UW-Madison student from Japan, said the system fights terrorism. ""If the U.S. wants to know what kind of person an international student is, I think they can know because the student wants to enter the United States.""
While SEVIS houses data on all international students, some visitors have to provide more than addresses and educational goals. The INS requires certain male visitors and students from certain countries to be fingerprinted and photographed, according to Gail Montenegro, INS spokesperson.
Under the 1996 Entry and Exit Program passed by Congress, all international students and temporary visitors will undergo special registration by 2005, she said.
""This is not the first time the INS has had to do special registration in its history,"" Montenegro said, adding that she believed international visitors from Communist countries complied with special registration in the past.
According to Brodd, about 400 international students at UW-Madison undergo INS special registration.
Hasan Saeed, a sophomore from Pakistan majoring in engineering, was registered this month. He said they took his photograph and fingerprinted his two index fingers and asked general questions about his educational plans and residence.
""It went pretty good,"" he said.
The only worry he mentioned was the time commitment it would take to reach the INS in Milwaukee, but said that the trip took five hours and the interview only took 30 minutes. According to Saeed, being photographed and fingerprinted did not upset him and he said he believed it would strengthen national security.
""Every country would do the same. I think it's a good step,"" Saeed said.
Naveen Varma, an international graduate student from India enrolled in the graduate industrial engineering program, did not have to undergo special registration but said students were wrong targets.
""The students I know are highly motivated to learn and get back to their country,"" he said.
Herbert Kritzer, UW-Madison professor of political science and law, questioned the value of collecting this data in case of a terrorist attack.
""I have a lot of trouble understanding what role this will play,"" he said.
He said he did not see how fingerprints could prevent terrorism by identifying a suicide terrorist or someone wearing protective clothing in a biological attack, but that it might deter someone from engaging in suspicious activity.
Although computers use fingerprints to verify identities, he said some factors might be problematic. Mistranslated names from Arabic script to Roman script or name changes through marriage could complicate identifications, he said.
""There is a limited degree of automation that can be applied,"" according to Kritzer.
While its effectiveness in combating terrorism is under scrutiny, special registration's potential to label students according to stereotypes is another dilemma, according to Lucy Mkandawire, a graduate student originally from Malawi. She said the fact that the INS requires fingerprints from only certain people concerns her.
""It's uncomfortable for us as students. It's profiling,"" she said. ""It ends up promoting stereotypes.""
Fadi Odeh, a UW-Madison sophomore and dual citizen of the United States and Jordan, said the policy was a ""criminal procedure.""
""It's like booking somebody in at a police station,"" he said. ""It alienates people.""
Fingerprinting itself is relatively common for individuals with no criminal records, according to Capt. Brian Willison, of the Dane County Sheriff's Office. Adoptions, some firearm licensing and teacher or childcare provider background checks require fingerprinting, he said.
Even so, the discriminatory policy concerns more than just Odeh and Mkandawire. Robert Brothers, a UW sophomore majoring in International Studies and enrolled in the ROTC, said special registration is worth the trouble to save lives, even if only one terrorist is stopped, but said that right now the system is unfair.
""It would have to apply to everyone equally, regardless of where they came from,"" he said.
With reports published in the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin calling attention to 900,000 new identity theft victims per year, balancing national security and a welcoming atmosphere is hard. According to Brodd, following Sept. 11 international students are affected by 20 legislative changes.
Given the current international relations she said it is increasingly hard to get a student visa.
""It's the way of the world,"" said John Lucas, UW spokesperson. ""We're going to do the best we can to support students through this.""
