The Department of Homeland Security is preparing to end the Special Registration program, according to reports by the Washington Post.  Government sources say a decision to end the program will likely be announced any day. READERS ARE REMINDED, HOWEVER, THAT UNTIL AN ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE THEY SHOULD COMPLY WITH THE RULES CURRENTLY IN PLACE FOR RE-REGISTRATION.

The possible decision to end the program comes at the start of the second round of registration for individuals from 25 predominately Muslim nations.  Immigration attorneys have argued that failure to publicize the re-registration period will put thousands of individuals at risk for deportation. In addition, reports indicate that the Department of Homeland Security views the special registration program as ineffective and a waste of limited resources.

The program, which primarily affects Muslim men, caused confusion and protests earlier this year after thousands of people were arrested or ordered deported following registering with the federal government.  Opponents of the program claim that the system, which has been a further effort by the federal government to discriminate against Muslim men, alienates law-abiding Muslim citizens, making them more distrustful of the US government.

The program also requires those who remain in the country to register again within 10 days of the one-year anniversary of their first appointment.  This part of the program has created problems for visitors who are unaware of the requirement.  The ACLU argues that the government often does not notify visitors of the second appointment and the government does not publicize this requirement.  Immigration officials claim that visitors are always duly informed of impending deadlines.

The program began in November 2002 with a series of rolling deadlines.  The first registrations began Nov. 15, 2002, for visitors from countries that the State Department has designated sponsors of terrorism, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Syria.  Immigration officials do not know how many people have re-registered this year, believing that many have or will leave the country before the Nov. 25 deadline.

Out of the more than 83,000 visitors who registered, nearly 14,000 foreign nationals were deported, with dozens of criminals identified but only seven people with possible ties to terrorism.