U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

ADIT (ALIEN DOCUMENTATION, IDENTIFICATION, AND TELECOMMUNICATION) - APPLYING TECHNOLOGY TO THE UNDOCUMENTED ALIEN PROBLEM (FROM CARNAHAN CONFERENCE ON CRIME...., 1978, BY JOHN S JACKSON - SEE NCJ-61021)

NCJ Number
61033
Author(s)
J MOGILENSKY
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THE ALIEN DOCUMENTATION, IDENTIFICATION, AND TELECOMMUNICATION (ADIT) PROGRAM INITIATED BY THE IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE (INS) TO ISSUE AND INSPECT ENTRY DOCUMENTS IS REVIEWED.
Abstract
THERE ARE THREE BASIC WAYS IN WHICH A PERSON CAN BECOME AN UNDOCUMENTED ALIEN: (1) SURREPTITIOUS ENTRY, I.E., ENTRY WITHOUT INSPECTION; (2) SUBMITTING TO PROPER INSPECTION AT A PORT OF ENTRY BUT PASSING THAT INSPECTION THROUGH FRADULENT MEANS; AND (3) ENTERING LEGALLY ON A NONIMMIGRANT VISA BUT SUBSEQUENTLY VIOLATING TERMS OF THAT VISA. FRAUDULENT ENTRY INVOLVES SUCH TECHNIQUES AS COUNTERFEIT ENTRY DOCUMENTS, VALID ENTRY DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ALTERED TO INDICATE INCREASED PRIVILEGE OR A FRAUDULENT HOLDER IDENTITY, USE OF UNALTERED VALID ENTRY DOCUMENT BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE RIGHTFUL HOLDER, AND PRESENTATION OF A FALSE CLAIM TO U.S. CITIZENSHIP. THE ADIT PROGRAM HAS BEEN DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE TO BENEFITS THAT RESULT FROM VARIOUS TECHNIQUES TO ISSUE AND INSPECT ENTRY DOCUMENTS. THESE TECHNIQUES INCLUDE PHOTOGRAPHY, ANTICOUNTERFEIT ARTWORK, CRYPTOGRAPHY, FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION, LAMINATION AND DIE CUTTING, OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION, COMPUTER DATA BASE MANAGEMENT, AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMS ARE TO REDESIGN INS-ISSUED IDENTIFICATION CARDS SO THAT THEIR RESISTANCE TO FRAUD WILL BE IMPROVED AND TO DESIGN AND DEPLOY AN AUTOMATED INFORMATION-PROCESSING AND DISPLAY SYSTEM THAT WILL SUPPORT INSPECTION FUNCTIONS AT PORTS OF ENTRY. OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE GAINED DURING FIELD TESTING IN EL PASO, TEX., HAS LED TO THE USE OF A CREDIT-CARD-SIZE RESIDENT ALIEN DOCUMENT LAMINATED IN PLASTIC. THE FRONT OF THE CARD IS A SINGLE PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT AND IS INTENDED FOR VISUAL INSPECTION. THE REAR OF THE CARD CONTAINS COMPUTER-PRINTED NUMBERS THAT CAN BE READ BY PEOPLE OR BY OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION EQUIPMENT. THE CARD HOLDER'S PHOTOGRAPH AND SIGNATURE ARE PROTECTED BY COMPLEX ARTWORK AND BASIC CARD CONSTRUCTION. PLANNED FEATURES OF THE AUTOMATED INSPECTION SYSTEM ARE DETAILED AND ADDITIONAL BORDER-MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS TO BE INCORPORATED IN THE ADIT PROGRAM ARE NOTED. THE ADIT RESIDENT ALIEN-CARD DESIGN IS ILLUSTRATED, ALONG WITH THE PROGRAM'S CODING SCHEME, AND REFERENCES ARE CITED. (DEP)