National security must not discriminate

With national security concerns in the spotlight and threat levels climbing into warmer… With national security concerns in the spotlight and threat levels climbing into warmer colors, the federal government is taking no chances with immigration. The special scrutiny applies to those seeking U.S. citizenship as well as foreign students studying at U.S. universities. But while caution is necessary, the government must be careful to consider all immigrants equally rather than judging people by racial or religious standards.

On Friday, as naturalization services were wrapping up at the federal courthouse Downtown, about 30 people assembled across the street to protest “special registration.” The group complained that “males over 16 from mainly Muslim countries” who hope to become U.S. citizens must first be subjected to a process of fingerprinting, photographing and questioning. Their argument is that people are being sorted out based solely on faith and nationality rather than any kind of evidence.

Similarly, the federal government has taken new steps recently to track foreigners in academia. The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, has been implemented in recent weeks to keep tabs on foreign students and scholars studying on U.S. soil. Colleges and universities are now required to send the names, addresses, academic courses and majors of foreign students – as well as any disciplinary action against them – to the federal government for tracking purposes.

National security is an important issue, and the federal government needs to take precautions in all areas – immigration and academics certainly included. But in doing so, steps must be taken to keep the scrutiny equal, and to be sure that foreigners aren’t dissuaded from traveling or studying within the United States.

Special registration should raise some eyebrows – any discrimination based on race or religion is unacceptable and should be viewed as a step in the wrong direction. Many of America’s past embarrassments – Japanese internment camps and McCarthyism to name two – were produced by a collection of similar counterproductive steps. While desperate times may call for desperate measures, this fear of any and all Muslim or Middle Eastern immigrants will lead to terrible results.

Student tracking is less offensive because it doesn’t single people out. Middle Easterners, Latin Americans and Europeans alike will all be marked. But even so, the United States must take steps to remain considerate of student guests. The culture shock of living abroad is difficult enough without becoming an instant suspect, and the vast majority of those hoping to study in America are no danger whatsoever.

The nation must protect itself from external dangers, but in doing so, it runs the risk of alienating its friends and violating the rights of its citizens. When it comes to precautions, the United States must keep its efforts equal to all people.