Press Release
Immigration Officer Heads to U.S. for Passport and Border Control Project
April 18, 2008
A Tanzanian immigration officer is traveling to the U.S. for a regional East African project on ‘Passport and Border Control’. The Kilimanjaro Regional Immigration Officer, Abdulah Khamis Abdullah has been invited by the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Programme, to pursue a two-week course April 20-May 3, 2008.
A statement from the U.S. Embassy says Abdullah’s programme will involve witnessing U.S. technological and human border security measures, including document security controls and customs and immigration activities at a variety of points of entry through land, sea and air.
He will also participate in discussions on the importance of efficient border security for improved trade and investment, and legislative improvements and importance of public outreach to communities. He will also explore human rights/rule of law issues for violators of immigration law.
Abdullah’s other activities while in the U.S. will include the examination of U.S. efforts in ensuring the security of cargo enters the U.S. in a manner that does not impede the free flow of vital imports and exports. He will also look at best practices and interagency cooperation efforts, and measures to combat the laundering and illegal transfer of money to violent extremist organizations.
Abudulla says he is looking forward to the project because "the world is currently facing multiple challenges of terrorism, money laundering, human smuggling, overt and covert activities against security against our countries and our people's welfare." Abdullah noted the experience he will gain from this project will help him in preparing good policies, plan and enact good laws to prevent illegal migration into Tanzania and prevent other vices against the security of the Tanzanian people.
Abdullah will be joined with seven other participants from Djibouti, Kenya, Mauritius, Uganda and Yemen. Together they are scheduled to visit Washington, D.C.; Detroit, Michigan; San Antonio and Laredo, Texas; Miami, Florida and New York.
While in Washington, D.C., participants will be briefed on U.S. federalism and the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice's Counterterrorism Section, Department of Defense's Special Operations and the American Civil Liberties Union.
In Detroit, participants will look at an air entry border controls and at bridge and tunnel crossings to Canada. They will then observe water patrols performed with U.S. Coast Guard and explore cargo crossings with the Port Authority. They will conclude the Michigan program with a look at the Detroit/Windsor World Trade Center.
From Detroit, they will visit San Antonio and Laredo in Texas for a border patrol along the Mexican border and visit the South Texas Detention Center. They will hold discussions with North American Development Bank on trade issues and meet with members of the Texas State legislature. Their last stop will be either Miami, Florida or New York, New York.
In Miami, participants will join with U.S. Coast Guard for sea patrols and then visit Miami International Airport, Krome Detention Center, Miami Dade Police Department (department of diplomatic security) and the Florida International University. Otherwise participants will be in New York for meetings scheduled with the Joint Terrorism Task force, the New York State Organized Crime Task force, U.S. Coast Guard, John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the High-Intensity Financial Crime Area Task force.
Financial support for this training comes from the American people and is part of overall U.S. Government direct and multilateral assistance to Tanzania of more than half a billion U.S. Dollars (over 750 billion Tanzanian shillings) in 2008. For further information on the IVLP and other activities, please visit us at http://tanzania.usembassy.gov.