•Imposes visa restrictions on illegal travel agencies

The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) Programme has offered a $10 million bounty for information on the financial mechanisms of the terrorist organisation, Hezbollah.

RFJ, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, under this reward offer, is requesting information on Hezbollah Financial Networks in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

The State Department designated Hezbollah as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) in October 1997 under the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in October 2001 under Executive Order (EO) 13224.

“In the TBA, Hezbollah financiers and facilitators generate revenue for the terrorist organisation through illicit activities such as money laundering, narcotics trafficking, charcoal and oil smuggling, illicit diamond trade, smuggling of items, including bulk cash, cigarettes, and luxury goods, document forgery, and counterfeiting of the U.S. dollar.

Also, the American country has criticised travel agencies facilitating illegal immigration to the United States.

Consequently, it is intensifying efforts to get rid of alien smuggling networks.

The U.S. Department of State spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, in a statement issued yesterday in Washington DC, submitted: “Enforcing U.S. immigration laws and policies is critical to upholding the rule of law and protecting Americans.”

Bruce disclosed that the nation was taking steps to impose visa restrictions on owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies based and operating in India for knowingly facilitating illegal immigration to the United States.

Mission India’s Consular Affairs and Diplomatic Security Service work every day across our Embassy and Consulates to actively identify and target those engaged in facilitating illegal immigration, human smuggling, and trafficking operations.

“We will continue to take steps to impose visa restrictions against owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies to cut off alien smuggling networks,” she said.

Bruce explained: “Our immigration policy aims not only to inform foreign nationals about the dangers of illegal immigration to the United States, but also to hold accountable individuals who violate our laws, including facilitators of illegal immigration.

“This visa restriction policy is global and even applies to individuals who otherwise qualify for the Visa Waiver Programme. These actions are taken pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.” (The Guardian)