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MEETING THIS WEEK ON ENTRY PROBLEMS AT PORTLAND AIRPORT
There was a meeting this week between Sen. Slade Gorton of Washington, a representative of the INS and a Japanese diplomat.  The topic of discussion was the number of Asian business travelers who are denied entry at the Portland, Oregon, international airport, and the circumstances under which entry is denied.  Stories about this issue can be found in recent issues of Siskind’s Immigration Bulletin at http://www.visalaw.com/00apr3/17apr300.html, and http://www.visalaw.com/00apr2/14apr200.html.   
INS agents at the Portland airport have developed a reputation for denying entry to many Asian business travelers.  Many of them later returned to airports in Seattle and San Francisco and, with the same documentation were allowed to enter.  Some of these people have spent the night in jail because there was not a return flight until the next morning.  According to one recent account, a young businessman from South Korea, who was coming to Oregon to train workers at a Hyundai plant in the state, was denied entry and spent the night in jail.  He says that he was handcuffed, and his belt and shoelaces were taken. 
According to the regional INS director, Don Beebe, INS inspectors at the Portland airport are only enforcing the law.  He blames the focus on the airport on the facts that there is a nearby jail in which to place people pending a return flight and that there is a lower volume of international travelers entering through Portland, giving inspectors more opportunity to inspect visitors.  He says the agency has no discretion in these actions, and that those who are concerned about it should approach Congress about changing the law. 
The meeting did have some promising results.  INS officials said that they would send updated guidelines on admission to inspectors, as well as provide additional training on the admission of business visitors.  Beebe also said the INS would look into doing something other than jailing those it denies admission.