Some foreign students at Sacramento State face new, tougher restrictions from the Immigration and Naturalization Services, due to a national program known as NSEERS.

NSEERS stands for National Security Entry/Exit Registration System. It involves two phases including port-of-entry checks and a domestic program that registers non-immigrants living in the United States before the program’s introduction.

Almost all non-immigrants entering the US must go through extensive background checks and proof of their reasons for visiting the US.

“We’ve registered people from 150 countries at our ports of entry,” said Jorge Martinez, a spokesman for the INS. “Through these background checks we’ve caught some very dangerous people. We’ve probably saved a number of lives.”

While some visitors are currently immune, Martinez said the INS plans on eventually including everyone.

The domestic program, which began last November, has registered three out of four proposed groups from countries including Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The fourth group, which includes Indonesia and Egypt, is scheduled to register on Feb. 24.

INS documents clearly state the information needed at the date of registration. Non-immigrants must give a current address, proof of their status as either a worker or student, and any other documents that may help their cause. They are then fingerprinted and photographed for identification. Should their stay be longer than a year they must re-register annually within 10 days of the original date.

The restrictions continue even if the students want to leave the country. They are required to let the INS know when they are leaving, when they are going, why they are going and how long they will be gone. They also are only allowed to leave from certain designated airports and ports. In California, Los Angeles and San Francisco International airports and the San Diego and Long Beach seaports are the areas designated for departure and arrival.

Sac State has about 750 foreign students from 83 countries enrolled, the vast majority of which do not fall under NSEERS restrictions. And while those that are have had little trouble with the new laws, there were some problems when the first background checks were being made.

“Last summer the State Department was claiming they could do initial background checks for everyone in 30 days,” said Eric Merchant, coordinator of International Students and Programs at the Office of Global Education. “The system got backlogged and a number of students were delayed and were not able to re-enter until spring.”

The State Department has since expanded their pre-registration to 60 days and there have been no more problems for incoming students.

The program also has had problems at home. Since its proposal, protesters have accused the INS of prejudice and racial profiling. Those against the program claim that it is racial profiling and that it has been used as an excuse to violate civil liberties.

The INS disputes these arguments and says it registers people due to intelligence reports, not race.

“Their race, religion and ethnicity have nothing to do with it,” said Martinez. “We knew we couldn’t register everyone at once. We chose those that our intelligence has identified as the greatest risk.”

Despite questionable tactics, supporters are quick to point out that NSEERS has been quite successful. INS reports have shown that, since it began in November, 362 known foreign criminals have been caught, as well as seven suspected terrorists.

“We’ve identified people who are a great risk to this country,” said Martinez. “We’ve probably saved many lives. The system is working.”

Sac State has seen little in the way of controversy or conflict.

“The number of foreign students here who fall under NSEERS is probably less then 15 percent,” said Merchant. “The students don’t complain, and they’re happy to comply.”Some students affected by the INS rules don’t mind having to register.

“I don’t think it’s unfair,” said Haryono, a graduate student from Indonesia, part of the fourth and final group of domestic registration. “It’s fine with me, what else can I do?”

Despite these new laws, students in the U.S. still do not feel that their liberties have been violated.

“It’s easier here than in my country,” said Haryono. “In my country everything is much stricter. Everyone here is very helpful.”