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Article: DHS, State Department wage visa war.(SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs)
- Article from:
- National Defense
- Article date:
- October 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 National Defense Industrial Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The Department of Homeland Security's effort to place trained officers in embassies and other State Department posts has led to a falling out between the two agencies, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office.
As part of a larger security program, DHS is determined to place visa security officers, or VSOs, inside embassies and consulates overseas. Currently, the only facilities with these staffers are in Saudi Arabia.
DHS officials said they want the visa-security officers because they can delve more deeply into the background of subjects than the State Department's consular officers.
"VSOs have access to and experience ...