INCREASE IN TCN IMMIGRANT VISAS CAUSES CONCERN IN ADDIS

UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 002770 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS DEPT FOR PRM, AF/E:JWiegert, G/TIP, CA/VO, CA/FPP, CA/CID E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFRD CVIS KTIP PHUM PGOV SMIG ELAB KWMN PREL EAID DJ, SU, ET SUBJECT: INCREASE IN TCN IMMIGRANT VISAS CAUSES CONCERN IN ADDIS ABABA ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. The Consular section in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia has noted a substantial increase in the number of third country national immigrant visa cases. From FY08 to FY09, post recorded a 13 percent increase in the total number of immigrant visa cases scheduled. Over the same period, post has seen a 72 percent increase in the number of Eritrean immigrant visa cases scheduled and a 26 percent increase in Somali cases scheduled. Post is concerned about the increasing number of third country nationals (TCNs) applying for immigrant visas in Ethiopia and proposes a regional conference to discuss this growing trend in the Horn of Africa. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Last year, 86 Eritrean nationals applied for immigrant visas in Addis Ababa. For these applicants, the trip is both difficult and dangerous. One F-1 immigrant visa applicant told Conoff he began his journey on August 8, 2009 and paid a smuggler 40,000 Nakfa (around USD 2,600) to cross the Ethiopian-Eritrean border near Rama, in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. After a 10 hour night walk the applicant said he was met by members of the Ethiopian military, who took him to the Endabaguna transit camp. He stayed in the transit camp for three days before moving on to the My Ayni refugee camp, and eventually Addis Ababa. He informed Conoff that he traveled without any documentation out of fear that, if found by Eritrean authorities, he would be shot and his family persecuted. ¶3. (SBU) An Eritrean 2009 diversity visa lottery winner had a similar story. He told Conoff he met his smugglers at the Asmara bus station on August 15, 2009 and paid 50,000 Nakfa (around USD 3,300)for the 12-hour trek across the border. Nearly two weeks later, on August 29, 2009, the DV applicant crossed the border near Rama with his smuggler and another person fleeing Eritrea. Like the F1 applicant three weeks before, the DV winner stated he received assistance from the Ethiopian military. In this case, specifically from someone called "the captain". Comment: The ENDF is likely willing to offer such support for ethnic reasons as many members of the Ethiopian military are of Tigrayan ethnicity and may have ethnic or clan connections with the Eritreans who are fleeing. Another reason might be that the Eritreans have information or intelligence they are willing to share with the ENDF in exchange for the assistance they receive. End Comment. ¶4. (SBU) These personal stories highlight the great expense and risk that Eritrean applicants endure to gain entry to the United States. They also reflect an increasing trend of third country nationals applying for immigrant visas at the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa. In addition to an upswing in Eritrean applicants, post has seen a 26 percent increase in Somali IV cases, as well as an increase in Kenyan and Sudanese cases. ¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: The rising number of third country nationals applying for immigrant visas in Ethiopia presents challenges for the consular section in Addis Ababa. In addition to the difficulties any TCN-processing post has with unfamiliar language, customs, and documents, many of post's TCN applicants come from neighboring countries with no reliable civil documents. That factor, combined with the differences in our neighboring posts' standards for verification, further complicates the situation. Addis has heard anecdotally that some posts require DNA for almost all Somali nationals, where others may more easily issue Ethiopian DV applicants because they do not recognize a false school certificate. In summary, consular officers lack regional policy guidance on adjudicating third country nationals from the Horn of Africa. ¶6. (SBU) In response, the Consular Section in Addis Ababa proposes hosting a regional conference to discuss regional immigrant visa, asylum, and fraud issues. The purpose of this conference would be three-fold: to gain a better understanding of trends in immigrant visa cases throughout the Horn of Africa, to discuss regional fraud trends, and to develop a regional policy for the adjudication of third country national cases. Ideally, regional participants would include Immigrant Visa Chiefs and a senior Foreign Service National from Nairobi, Asmara, Khartoum, Sanna, Djibouti, and Kampala. We understand that there may be FPP funding available for this project. Post looks forward to working with counterparts throughout the region and in Washington on this important topic. END COMMENT. MEECE