ESTA: AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE U.S. SECURITY

UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000558 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE PASS TO DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC CMGT CPAS CVIS KFRD KVPR PGOV PINR PREL PTER, SW SUBJECT: ESTA: AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE U.S. SECURITY REF: A. A) STOCKHOLM 0645 2007 ¶B. B) STOCKHOLM 0516 2007 ¶C. C) STOCKHOLM 0391 2007 ¶1. (SBU) Post remains concerned about threats to U.S. security from naturalized Swedes who obtain Swedish passports by fraudulent means (reftels). Post recommends that the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form be amended to add a requirement for travelers to list other names, additional nationalities, and travel documents in addition to the name, nationality and travel document that the applicant is using for the proposed U.S. travel. This would enable detection of some mala fide travelers who also operate under different identities or nationalities. ¶2. (SBU) Post has documented a widespread pattern of passport and immigration fraud by tens of thousands of Middle Eastern and North African refugees and asylum seekers who are smuggled to Sweden each year, of whom a small number are affiliated with terrorist organizations or subscribe to violent extremist ideologies. Most are economic migrants who arrive in Sweden with forged or no identity documents, yet due to Sweden's liberal asylum policies and rapid pathway to citizenship often obtain Swedish passports within five to eight years. This pattern represents a vulnerability for U.S. security that could be exploited by terrorists. ¶3. (SBU) ESTA partially addresses this problem by requiring visa interviews for individuals whose biographic information matches existing watchlist entries or whose responses to questions reveal ineligibilities. However, it appears that ESTA in its current form would allow certain dual nationals who would be subject to security advisory opinions if they applied for visas to continue to travel visa-free. Expanding ESTA criteria to require visas for Visa Waiver Program member country citizens who also hold passports from a state-sponsor of terrorism or other countries of concern could further reduce U.S. exposure to these security risks. SILVERMAN