posted by DELTA BLOG at 4:27 PM
Excerpt
QUESTION: I just have a couple of final questions. The situation in Lebanon – they've had their cabinet, and they've got Hizballah connections. Is the U.S. going to work with this new cabinet?
SECRETARY POMPEO: We'll have to take a look at it. I don't know the answer to that yet. I saw what happened over the last 24 hours. We've been very clear about the requirements for the United States to engage. Lebanon has a terrible financial crisis that lays in front of it in just the weeks ahead. We're prepared to engage, provide support, but only to a government that's committed to reform. That's important for America, but if you look at the protests that are taking place in Beirut and cities outside of Beirut, you can see, just like in Baghdad – go look at the protests in Baghdad – these aren't anti-American protests; these are protests demanding sovereignty and freedom. The protests taking place today in Lebanon are saying to Hizballah, "No mas." No more. We want a non-corrupt government that reflects the will of the people of Lebanon. If this government in responsive to that and there's a new set of leaders that's prepared to make those commitments and deliver on that, that's the kind of government that we'll support around the world and the kind of government we would support in Lebanon.
posted by DELTA BLOG at 4:27 PM
posted by DELTA BLOG at 12:55 PM
01/16/2020 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/16/2020 16:13
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, sent a letter Wednesday to Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chad Wolf to better understand the vulnerabilities our visa system faces from Iran, Hizballah, and other Iranian proxies.
Chairman Johnson wrote, 'The U.S. government must remain vigilant against a real threat of violence to the homeland by Iran or any of the foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) that Iran sponsors. This includes taking steps to ensure that our immigration system adjusts along with this changing threat landscape.
'Although the U.S. restricts the visas available to Iranian nationals, individuals associated with Iran-sponsored FTOs may seek to travel to the U.S. from places not subject to these visa restrictions. For example, Lebanese Hizballah members may have Lebanese passports, which allow them to travel into the U.S. more freely. Additionally, reporting indicates that hundreds of student visas have been issued to Iranian nationals in FY2019 and thousands in FY2018. To better understand how DHS is adapting to this dynamic threat environment, I respectfully request the following records and information…'
Full text of the letter is below, and the letter can be viewed here.
January 15, 2020
The Honorable Chad F. Wolf
Acting Secretary
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
246 Murray Lane, SW
Washington, D.C. 20528
Dear Acting Secretary Wolf:
Two days after the United States killed Qasem Soleimani, the Commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force and a prolific sponsor of terrorism,[1] the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a National Terrorism Advisory Bulletin warning of potential reprisals by Iran and their proxies.[2] Soon after, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani vowed revenge;[3] and Secretary General Nasrallah, the leader of the Iranian-proxy Hizballah, warned that all U.S. military assets are fair targets.[4] On January 8, Iran launched missile strikes against U.S. personnel located in Iraq, fortunately leading to no causalities.[5] The U.S. government must remain vigilant against a real threat of violence to the homeland by Iran or any of the foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) that Iran sponsors. This includes taking steps to ensure that our immigration system adjusts along with this changing threat landscape.
Although the U.S. restricts the visas available to Iranian nationals, individuals associated with Iran-sponsored FTOs may seek to travel to the U.S. from places not subject to these visa restrictions. For example, Lebanese Hizballah members may have Lebanese passports, which allow them to travel into the U.S. more freely.[6] Additionally, reporting indicates that hundreds of student visas have been issued to Iranian nationals in FY2019 and thousands in FY2018.[7] To better understand how DHS is adapting to this dynamic threat environment, I respectfully request the following records and information:
Please produce this material as soon as possible, but by no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 31, 2020. To the maximum extent possible, please provide unclassified responses to these questions. Any classified information provided in response to this letter should be provided under separate cover through the Office of Senate Security. In addition, I request that appropriate Department of Homeland Security staff arrange a briefing with my staff on this matter. Please arrange this briefing by February 14, 2020.
The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is authorized by Rule XXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate to investigate 'the efficiency, economy, and effectiveness of all agencies and departments of the Government.'[9] Additionally, Senate Resolution 70 (116th Congress) authorizes the Committee to examine 'the efficiency and economy of operations of all branches the Government.'[10] For purposes of this request, please refer to the definitions and instructions in the enclosure.
If you have any questions about this request, please contact Brian Kennedy of the Committee staff at (202) 224-4751. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Ron Johnson
Chairman
###
[1]See, e.g., Jerry Dunlavy, Qassem Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American soldiers, Wash. Examiner, Jan. 2, 2020, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/qassem-soleimani-was-responsible-for-the-deaths-of-hundreds-of-american-soldiers.
[2] U.S. Dep't of Homeland Security, National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin (Jan.4 2020), https://www.dhs.gov/ntas/advisory/national-terrorism-advisory-system-bulletin-january-4-2020.
[3] Alissa J. Rubin et al., Outrage in Iran After Killing of Suleimani: Here's What You Need to Know, N.Y. Times, Jan. 5, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/05/world/middleeast/Iran-us-trump.html.
[4] Anna Ahronheim, Nasrallah: Trump has started a new type of war in the region, Jerusalum Post, Jan. 5, 2020, https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Nasrallah-Solemanis-death-marks-new-era-for-the-Middle-East-613169.
[5] Ahmed Aboulenein et al., Iranian missiles target U.S. troops in Iraq, Trump consults advisers, Reuters, Jan. 7, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security/us-response-awaited-after-iran-strikes-at-us-troops-in-iraq-to-avenge-generals-killing-idUSKBN1Z60NL.
[6] U.S. Dep't of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, June 26 Supreme Court Decision on Presidential Proclamation 9645, https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/presidential-proclamation-archive/june_26_supreme_court_decision_on_presidential_proclamation9645.html (last visited Jan 10, 2020).
[7] Laura D. Francis, Iran Visas Exempted From Trump Travel Ban Being Blocked Anyway, Bloomberg Law News June 27, 2019, https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/iran-visas-exempted-from-trump-travel-ban-being-blocked-anyway.
[8] U.S. Dep't of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Collection of Social Media Identifiers from U.S. Visa Applicants (June 4, 2019), https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/20190604_collection-of-social-media-identifiers-from-U.-S.-visa-applicants.html (last visited Jan 10, 2020).
[9] S. Rule XXV(k); see also S. Res. 445, 108th Cong. (2004).
[10] S. Res. 70, 116th Cong. §12(e)(I)(A) (2019) (enacted).
posted by DELTA BLOG at 12:54 PM
