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GGD-96-25R 1 (1995-11-29)

handle is hein.gao/gaobackzp0001 and id is 1 raw text is: United States General Accounting Office Washington, D.C. 20548 General Government Division B-266067 November 29, 1995 The Honorable Duncan Hunter The Honorable Brian Bilbray House of Representatives This letter responds to your request for information on border crossing cards (BCC) issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Specifically, you asked that we (1) summarize the sequence of events leading up to the June 1995 changes in INS policies and procedures for processing BCCs at INS' San Ysidro, CA, port of entry and other ports of entry; (2) provide data on the number of BCC applications received and the percentage approved and denied at San Ysidro; and (3) present any observations on improving the BCC process that we might make while developing information in response to the first two objectives. To address these-objectives, we (1) interviewed INS headquarters, Western Region, and San Diego district officials; (2) reviewed relevant legislation, regulations, and INS documents related to BCCs; and (3) analyzed, but did not verify, San Ysidro port of entry BCC statistics. We did our work between June and September 1995 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. BACKGROUND The Immigration and Nationality Act establishes documentary requirements for nonimmigrant entry into the United States and makes border crossing identification cards an acceptable alternative to nonimmigrant visas.' INS issues the Nonresident Alien BCC, INS Form 1-586, to eligible Mexican citizens who reside in Mexico and wish to visit the United States frequently on a temporary basis for business or pleasure. Mexican visitors may use their cards indefinitely for visits of up to 72 hours within 25 miles of the border. INS can also issue cardholders additional documents that allow them to stay longer or travel farther.2 State Department consulates along the 18 U.S.C. 1182(a) (7) (B) (i). 28 C.F.R. 212.1, 212.6; 235.1(f) and (g).