Follow-up Report on Improving the Security
of the Transit Without Visa Program
Report No. I-2002-005
December 2001

In light of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the INS has taken action to enhance the security of the ITL program by submitting all ITL passengers to more rigorous inspection. However, we found that the other security concerns with the TWOV program we identified in the original OIG report continue to exist.

TWOV passengers are still permitted to make two stops within the United States before taking a flight out of the country to their final destination. The lack of airline standards and accountability for supervising TWOV passengers waiting for their connecting flights continues to present a security concern because the INS still does not have a procedure to verify that all TWOV passengers have departed. TWOV passengers who undergo INS inspection are admitted into the country and may enter unrestricted areas in U.S. airports. We found that the degree of control exercised by airlines - who are responsible for ensuring TWOV passengers board their connecting flights - varies from using guards to escort passengers to permitting passengers to move about on their own.

If the INS continues to operate the TWOV program, we believe the INS must take immediate action to address TWOV program security issues in order to enhance national security.