Fingerprint Policy on Immigrants Altered
Objections raised by 14 lawmakers, including Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley), have prompted immigration officials to change the way they conduct background fingerprint checks of immigrants seeking residency in this country.
The General Accounting Office announced the change in a letter Thursday to the protesting lawmakers. Starting Jan. 1, businesses, charities and agencies that collect the fingerprints will have to be licensed by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Previously, the businesses and charities that collected the fingerprints were unregulated. Reports of fraud and abuse had been reported in the media, prompting the 14 representatives to protest to the GAO.
Under the change, fingerprint providers will pay about $370 every three years for certification and will be required to check immigrants’ photographic identification at the time of the fingerprinting.
The fingerprints are used to check whether immigrants applying for residency have a criminal record.
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